Promises Fulfilled Retires to WinStar Farm

Robert J. Baron and WinStar Farm's grade 1-winning millionaire Promises Fulfilled has been retired from racing and will enter stud at WinStar for the 2021 breeding season, the farm announced Oct. 1. His fee will be $10,000 with a stands and nurses guarantee.

In an outstanding racing career for trainer Dale Romans, Promises Fulfilled, a son of classic winner and three-time grade 1 winner Shackleford, won five graded stakes at distances from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles—winning the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1), Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), John A. Nerud Stakes (G2), Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2), and Amsterdam Stakes (G3), competing exclusively in graded stakes company following his first two victories at 2.

"When we look for stallion prospects, we want brilliance," said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. "Promises Fulfilled not only meets that criteria but brings the added benefit of durability, a rare trait for horses with his speed. When you look at his past performances, you see him in front in 15-of-17 starts, no matter the distance. You see him running at least :44-and-change six different times in graded stakes, and he competed in 15 graded stakes, including eight grade 1s. We are excited to offer our full support to him and include him in our 'Dream Big Lifetime Breeding Right Program.'"

At 3, Promises Fulfilled stamped himself as a leading sophomore right out of the gate with an emphatic wire-to-wire win in Gulfstream Park's Fountain of Youth in his seasonal debut, defeating 2-year-old champion male and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Good Magic  and earning a berth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Over the summer, he asserted himself as a premier sprinter, running his rivals off their feet in the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. He got six furlongs in 1:08.53 en route to a dominating 3 1/4-length win in a final time of 1:15.18, earning a 107 Beyer Speed Figure. He returned a month later to annex the prestigious H. Allen Jerkens, where he again proved uncatchable, winning the $500,000 seven-furlong event gate to wire in 1:21.44, leaving in his wake grade 1 winner Firenze Fire. Promises Fulfilled made it three consecutive graded triumphs with a determined victory in the Phoenix at Keeneland, beating older grade 1 winner Whitmore.

At 4 in 2019 in yet another authoritative performance, Promises Fulfilled rolled to a 4 1/2-length win in the John A. Nerud at Belmont Park, recording a career-best 108 Beyer. All told, the handsome chestnut retires with seven wins and three placings from 17 starts and earnings of $1,455,530.

"Promises Fulfilled ranks right up there with the best horses I've trained," said Dale Romans. "He's a lot like his sire in the mental toughness department and he is an extremely intelligent horse. He won major races on all the main stages—Gulfstream, Keeneland, Saratoga, and Belmont."

Bred in Kentucky by David Jacobs, Promises Fulfilled's sire hails from the Storm Cat line and won the Preakness Stakes (G1), Clark Handicap (G1), and Metropolitan Handicap (G1). Promises Fulfilled is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Marquetry mare Marquee Delivery and is a half brother to multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Marquee Miss (Cowboy Cal), graded-placed winner Tiesto (Tiznow ), and multiple stakes-placed Marquee Cal Gal (Cowboy Cal).