By Jeff Lowe

Lawrence Roman on Monday canceled the private deal under which IEAH Stables and Sanford Robbins joined him as co-owners of three-year-old colt Lawrence the Roman.

Roman offered to annul the transaction, which was finalized on February 8, after Lawrence the Roman subsequently finished fifth of sixth as the 1-to-2 favorite in the Whirlaway Stakes on February 10 at Aqueduct. A sale price was not announced.

“I felt very bad,” Roman said. “I put myself in their shoes, so [Monday] morning I had someone call them to wire them their money back. I don’t ever want to walk around seeing someone looking at me dirty.”

Roman said trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. told him that Lawrence the Roman was fine physically after the Whirlaway. The New York-bred Point Given colt had won his three previous starts by a combined 25 1/4 lengths, including an 11-length romp in the Damon Runyon Stakes.

“Larry just felt bad about the whole situation, and it was a noble thing to do,” said Michael Sherack, vice president of investor relations for IEAH Stables. “What we were looking for and what Larry was looking for—and what everyone was looking for—was for him to be competitive at the next level and to give an indication that he is a horse that has classic potential, and the horse wasn’t up to it for whatever reason.”

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer