Promises Fulfilled 'in good shape,' bound for Florida Derby

Robert Baron’s Promises Fulfilled was "in good shape" Sunday morning after registering a front-running victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park.

“He came out of the race very well,” trainer Dale Romans said. “He’s in good shape.

Romans is pointing his Fountain of Youth winner to the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby March 31 at Gulfstream Park.

Promises Fulfilled rocketed out of his outside stall in get the jump on previously undefeated Strike Power and 3-5 favorite Good Magic. He set comfortable fractions of 23.80 (seconds), 48.39 and 1:12. 60 under Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first six furlongs, repelled a bid from Strike Power at the top of the stretch and drew away to victory.

Promises Fulfilled ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.17 to prevail over Strike Power by 2 ¼ lengths. Good Magic, the 3-5 favorite who raced for the first time since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar in November, finished another 2 ¼ lengths back in third after racing evenly throughout the 72nd running of the Fountain of Youth.

Promises Fulfilled is a son of Shackleford, whom Romans saddled to victory in the 2011 Preakness Stakes (G1), making his triumph in the Fountain of Youth that much more special.

“It’s always special when we win with horses by horses we trained,” said Romans, who also saddled Shackleford for a victory in the 2012 Met Mile (G1), as well as a close second at 68-1 behind Dialed In in the 2011 Florida Derby. “They have the same speed and stamina. They don’t act alike, but they do have the same style.”

The Romans trainee earned 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying point Saturday to clinch a spot in the starting gate for the first leg of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs May 5.

Promises Fulfilled made his 2018 debut Saturday, a little over three weeks since finishing third after setting the pace in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Promises Fulfilled, a $37,000 purchase at the 2016 Keeneland September sale, launched his career last September at Churchill Downs with a four-length victory, defeating a next-out winner with a front-running performance over six furlongs. The Kentucky-bred colt came right back a month later to capture a seven-furlong allowance race at Keeneland by a neck.