Dale Romans announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate last week, entering the Democratic primary to represent Kentucky. The all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs in terms of wins is seeking a major career change after decades of success in horse racing.
Romans, who won the GI Preakness Stakes and upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah with Keen Ice in the 2015 GI Travers S., discussed his political aspirations during an appearance on the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast presented by Keeneland as the Gainesway Guest of the Week.
“I’ve been the vice president of our HBPA for 30 years,” Romans said. “I’ve spent a lot of time on Capitol Hill. I’ve been behind the scenes on a lot of political issues. I’ve supported a lot of our Democratic candidates inside the state of Kentucky.”
The veteran trainer has extensive experience working on legislative matters affecting the racing industry, particularly in Kentucky’s capital.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Frankfort working on issues like the VLT situation we have and helping Kentucky and Kentucky racing grow as a whole. Politics has always been a side gig of mine. And this seat became open. At this stage of my life, I think I could do a lot of good and help people from Kentucky by getting to Washington.”
Political analysts consider Romans a longshot in the race. He faces formidable competition from Amy McGrath in the Democratic primary, and would then need to defeat the Republican candidate in a traditionally conservative state.
Romans dismissed suggestions he should have run as a Republican instead.
“I’d be a phony if I changed my party to Republican and run as Republican,” he explained. “That’s not who I am. I’m a Democrat, but I’m a very centrist Democrat.”
The trainer revealed he’s been consulting with Senator Joe Manchin about running as a Democrat in a red state. “He told me to identify myself as an independent Democrat. He said from your state you would have a lot of power coming from a red state and being a Democratic senator because they can never primary you.”
Romans pointed to Kentucky’s Democratic governor as evidence the state isn’t exclusively Republican. “We have a Democratic governor, a very popular one. He’s won a couple of terms.”
The Senate candidate enters politics during a period of personal transformation. Romans has lost 180 pounds following gastric sleeve surgery and has been sober for two years after completing rehabilitation.
“I’m in the best place I’ve been in my life,” Romans said. “I was excess on everything. I ate too much, I drank too much. But a few years ago, I decided I needed to make major changes or I wasn’t going to be here.”
His experience in rehabilitation has shaped his policy interests. “That’s another thing I want to work on at Capitol Hill, our whole rehab system.”
Immigration reform ranks high among Romans’ priorities, given his firsthand knowledge of racing’s reliance on immigrant labor.
“I’ve gotten as far as [United States Secretary of Agriculture] Brooke Rollins at a meeting with her,” Romans said. “You just can’t get it over the line because it’s a political pawn. It makes no sense to me.”
He added: “We need to document, not deport. That’s a more realistic situation for a labor force that we have to have in this country.”
Elsewhere on the podcast, which is sponsored by WinStar, PHBA, 1/ST TV and West Point Thoroughbreds, the team discussed the Robertino Diodoro-trained claimer Get Her Number, who earned the “Fastest Horse of the Week” honor with a 103 Beyer at Remington Park.
The panel also examined Bill Finley’s TDN story about Awesome Hawaiian, a horse rescued from a kill pen who went on to win a $30,000 maiden claimer at Churchill Downs. Despite this heartwarming outcome, the hosts expressed concern that too many horses remain vulnerable to entering the slaughter pipeline.
The podcast concluded with discussion of the record-breaking sales market, which set new benchmarks at virtually every major sale in 2025, including the recently completed November sale at Keeneland.
