Promises Fulfilled Prevails in Phoenix

Promises Fulfilled will roll into the Breeders' Cup World Championships after registering a gutsy, front-end victory in the $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) Oct. 5 at Keeneland, his third straight graded stakes score.

The lone question after the race will be what's next for the 3-year-old son of Shackleford  who is being considered for both the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and the one-turn Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Trainer Dale Romans said the connections would celebrate Friday night before beginning to consider that question Saturday.

After watching Promises Fulfilled defeat a quality field of older horses, Romans was thrilled. The effort followed clear victories sprinting at Saratoga Race Course over other 3-year-olds in the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) and the Amsterdam Stakes (G3).

"I've had a few great horses in my career; I've had a lot of good ones and a few great ones," Romans said. "He's one of the great ones."

Promises Fulfilled broke well from the rail under Luis Saez, who opted to guide him a couple paths off the rail as he wasted no time in opening a clear advantage. Promises Fulfilled delivered a quarter-mile in :22.50 while pressed by Heartwood, who moved up to engage him, and a half-mile in :45.09 where he was challenged for the lead by the latter.

But in early stretch, Promises Fulfilled kicked away from his early rival, then dug in to hold off a late bid by last year's Phoenix winner, Whitmore. Promises Fulfilled completed the six-furlong test in 1:09.05 on the fast track.

"He's a really nice horse. When he broke from the gate, he did everything perfect," Saez said. "He always fires. When he came to the straight, he didn't let the other horse (Whitmore) pass. He always wants to win."

In his first start against older horses, Promises Fulfilled prevailed by a head over Whitmore, with Limousine Liberal another half-length back in third. The determined finish thrilled owner Robert Baron.

"This horse has so much heart. He's a fighter; he eyeballs you and he keeps on going," Baron said. "He looks a little like his daddy when he's doing that. What a heck of an effort, it's just unbelievable to me that he hung on and did what he did.

"When (Whitmore) came to his head, he would just not let him by. And sometimes that's the difference between going to the Breeders' Cup and not going."

The Phoenix is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race to the Sprint. Should the connections opt for that race, all fees will be paid. Under the Challenge conditions, he also would be eligible to have his fees fully paid in the Dirt Mile. That savings will be helpful as Promises Fulfilled is not Breeders' Cup-nominated, which, at this point, will necessitate a one-time payment of $100,000 to become eligible this year and going forward.

"This was a big deal because it was the last step as to if he'd make the Breeders' Cup or not," Romans said. "It takes a lot of pressure off financially because he wasn't nominated. I guess we'll still have to pay some, but it will be a lot less. … This will put us in."

Five went in the Phoenix after the scratch of Distinctive B.

Video: Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. (G2)