Promises Fulfilled, Whitmore meet again in Keeneland's Phoenix Stakes
Promises Fulfilled and Whitmore, who finished a head apart in last year’s running, will renew their rivalry Friday as they headline a field of 11 sprinters for the 167th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Phoenix Stakes going six furlongs on the main Keeneland track.
Scheduled as the eighth race on Friday’s 10-race program with a 4:57 p.m. ET post time, the Phoenix is a “Win and You’re In” race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) to be held Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.
Owned by Robert Baron and trained by Dale Romans, Promises Fulfilled already has secured a Breeders’ Cup berth by virtue of his victory in the John Nerud (G2) at Belmont on July 6. Sixth in the Forego (G1) at Saratoga in his most recent start, Promises Fulfilled will be ridden by Luis Saez and break from post position seven.
Promises Fulfilled will attempt to become the seventh horse to win this race in consecutive years with the most recent being Sum of theParts in 2012-2013.
Whitmore, who won the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix in 2017, is owned by the partnership of Robert LaPenta, Head of Plains Partners and trainer Ron Moquett’s Southern Springs Stables. A five-time graded stakes winner and runner-up in last year’s TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs, Whitmore has not started since an eighth-place finish in the True North (G2) at Belmont on June 7.
Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post position three.
Stepping up to face older horses for the first time is Something Special Racing's Hog Creek Hustle.
Trained by Vickie Foley, Hog Creek Hustle comes into Friday’s race with a victory in the Woody Stephens (G1) and a nose defeat in the H. Allen Jerkens (G1) in his past two starts. Corey Lanerie has the riding assignment and will break from post position six.
The field for the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:
1. American Pastime (Kent Desormeaux, 120 pounds)
2. Cove Blue (Channing Hill, 120)
3. Whitmore (Joel Rosario, 120)
4. Recruiting Ready (Tyler Gaffalione, 120)
5. Diamond Oops (Julien Leparoux, 120)
6. Hog Creek Hustle (Corey Lanerie, 122)
7. Promises Fulfilled (Luis Saez, 122)
8. Engage (Jose Ortiz, 120)
9. Heartwood (John McKee, 120)
10. Zipp On By (Abel Lezcano, 120)
11. Lexitonian (Adam Beschizza, 118).