Romans took over training the six-year-old Court Vision from Rick Dutrow when B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Farm purchased the son of Gulch and the Storm Bird mare Weekend Storm in August of this year. After a seventh place finish in the September 18 Woodbine Mile (Can-I), Court Vision rebounded to post an unlikely victory at odds of 64-1 - the longest odds in the Breeders' Cup Mile (Gr. IT) field.
The Breeders' Cup Mile (Gr. IT) was Court Vision's first victory since the 2010 Woodbine Mile (Can-I), and he had finished off the board all four of his 2011 starts.Court Vision and Turallure trailed the field early in the Mile, but as they came around the final turn, both horses kicked into gear on the far outside. Meanwhile, three-time Mile champion Goldikova (IRE) had stalked the pace and was ranging up to challenge the leaders. Goldikova (IRE) hit the front by midstretch in a valiant effort to win the race for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, but Court Vision and Turallure were coming too fast in the center of the racetrack. Those two surged past a game Goldikova (IRE), with Court Vision and jockey Robby Albarado hitting the wire a nose in front of Turallure in 1:37.05.
Romans said after the race that he was thrilled to have the four-time grade I winner moved into his barn. He continued, “I’ve loved Court Vision since he was a 2-year-old. We saw him at the sales and have been following him. I’ve been saying all week how good this horse was doing. When I saw how easy he was running down the backside, I thought if they just back up a little we’ve got a hell of a shot.”
In addition to Court Vision's victory, Romans notched a second place finish behind Caleb's Posse with his 2011 Preakness Stakes (Gr. I) winner Shackleford in the $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (Gr. I).
