Promises Fulfilled wins Fountain of Youth Stakes in an upset
After trying with a handful of other prospects, trainer Dale Romans has his 2018 Kentucky Derby horse, and it's an aptly-named one at that.
Promises Fulfilled broke alertly Saturday and took them all the way in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes, scoring an 18-1 upset in champion Good Magic’s season debut.
Under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Promises Fulfilled galloped to a 1 1/16 miles in a final time of 1:44.17 for an impressive kickoff to his own campaign.
"It's a huge win," Romans said. "This is a race I've always wanted on my resume. It's a big race, even though it's a Grade 2. To me, this is a big steppingstone into what this horse's future will be, and he ran a huge race today."
• Good Magic "didn't have it. More in HRN's Derby Daily Report
“This horse probably should be undefeated,” said Romans, who added Promises Fulfilled “popped a splint,” forming excess swelling near his knee, in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Owned by Robert Baron, the colt won his other two starts, including his debut effort at Churchill.
"He got over that," Romans added, "and that's why we're a little late getting him going. His works have been great, and he's really training like he's a Derby horse."
With this run, he quickly moved to the top of the heap of a horses in Romans' barn who have tried Derby preps. The March 31 Florida Derby, a Grade 1 race, is likely next.
Previously unbeaten Strike Power, stretching out for the first time, ran well for second in the Fountain of Youth with Good Magic third. Machismo got up for a late-running fourth.
Kentucky Derby qualifying points paid out on a 50-20-10-5 scale. The winner's share should guarantee Promises Fulfilled a spot in the gate the first Saturday in May, while 10 for Good Magic boosted his total to 34 overall, which should also get him in the Derby.
From the 10 post, Promises Fulfilled rushed to the lead, swinging toward the rail to position early, and clicked through fractions of 23.80 seconds for the quarter mile and 48.39 for the half. Good Magic was a bit wide, but well positioned. He just never closed, failing to show the same kick off the turn as when he broke his maiden in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
"They let him go in 48 with his ears up and I knew it was going to take a heck of a horse to pass him at that point," Romans said of Promises Fulfilled.
“The trainer told me to go to the lead and hold on," added Ortiz, the jockey. "When I asked my horse he just took off again. He was impressive today, he ran the whole race. He broke great and was ready, the trainer was right.”
Connections have said Keeneland's Blue Grass Stakes is likely next for Good Magic, the son of Curlin who's campaigned by e Five Racing and Stonestreet Stables. He ran in the latter's colors Saturday.
"The horse came back a little tired," said trainer Chad Brown. "He was blowing pretty good. It looked like he needed the race. Hopefully, he got what he needed out of it and go on to the next step."
Another from Romans' barn, Free Drop Billy, scratched from the Fountain of Youth and will ship for next weekend's Gotham Stakes in New York.