Romeo one to watch in G1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful
At 3h38, on September 1, 2025 • By Saratoga Race Course
Tagermeen Racing’s Romeo is one to keep an eye on as he makes his first effort for new connections in Closing Day Monday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful, a seven-furlong sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.
The Honor A.P. dark bay captured the six-furlong Listed Bashford Manor last out on June 29 at Churchill Downs for conditioner John “Jerry” Robb. Romeo subsequently sold to Mahmud Mouni for $1.7 million at Fasig-Tipton’s July Horses of Racing Age Sale and transferred to Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen’s care with an eye towards this race.
In the Bashford Manor, Romeo set the pace en route to a driving 3 3/4-length victory in a stakes record time of 1:08.61 over the fast footing, registering a career and field-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He’s coming off of a win in the Bashford Manor where he won in stakes record time. He has trained very nicely since he’s been up here,” Asmussen said.
Romeo improved from a third in the Listed Tremont in June here to subsequent graded-stakes winning filly Mythical, a top contender in the local Grade 1 Spinaway on Saturday.
Romeo [post 3, Joel Rosario] dominated his debut by 10 1/4 lengths sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs on May 3 at Laurel Park. He is out of the Not For Love mare Fancy Love and his second dam Fleet and Fancy is a half-sister to 2008 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Midshipman and Grade 2-winner Fast Cookie, the dam of multiple Grade 1-victor Frosted.
