Rombauer

Rombauer broke his maiden in his first career start, winning a one-mile grass race at Del Mar on Jul. 25, 2020. He won by a half-length after a strong stretch rally, for trainer Michael McCarthy and rider Mike Smith.

In his dirt debut, in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes on Sept. 26, Rombauer finished second, beaten less than a length, after a wide trip. He concluded his 2-year-old year with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Rombauer returned from a layoff of more than three months to make his 3-year-old debut in the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby Feb. 13 at Golden Gate Fields. Last of eight early, he closed powerfully to reel in game runner-up Javanica near the finish line to prevail, earning his first career stakes win and picking up 10 points toward qualifying for the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. The El Camino Real Derby win also gave Rombauer a guaranteed place in the starting gate for the Preakness Stakes.

Making his final prep for the Kentucky Derby in the April 3 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Rombauer finished a distant third, 5 1/2 lengths behind runner-up Highly Motivated.

McCarthy elected to skip the Derby and run in the Preakness. Sent off at 11-1, Rombauer made a strong move to the lead turning for home and drew off to a 3 1/2-length win, covering 1 3/16 miles in 1:53.62. He followed up that race with a third-place performance in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on June 5. 

Rombauer is out of the unraced Cowboy Cal mare Cashmere, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winners California Flag and Cambiocorsa. California Flag won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in 2009.