Coglianese /NYRA Photo Photo

Promises Fulfilled smokes foes in G3 Amsterdam

by Jon Forbes

Promises Fulfilled settled behind a hot pace and asserted himself in the stretch en route to a convincing victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Amsterdam for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

Away sharply from post position 2 under jockey Luis Saez, Promises Fulfilled challenged Strike Power for the early lead before taking back and maneuvering outside the pacesetter. Strike Power blazed through fractions of 21.28 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.92 for the half before receiving a renewed challenge from Promises Fulfilled turning for home.

Promises Fulfilled quickly put away Strike Power and repelled even-money favorite and runner-up Engage, driving home a 3 ¼-length winner in 1:15.18 for 6 ½ furlongs. 

“We talked in the paddock, I told Luis [Saez] to go,” said winning trainer Dale Romans. “I told him to give him a chance, he looked at me a little funny, and I said, 'OK, give him a chance and then race right from there.' He rode a beautiful race, but it was good, it was really good.”

Backed as the 3-2 second choice, Promises Fulfilled returned $5 for a $2 win wager.

Promises Fulfilled wired the field in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in early March at Gulfstream Park before fading badly when ninth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31 and 15th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 5. He cut back in distance for the Grade 2 Woody Stephens on June 9, dictating terms up front once again before tiring to third in the late stages.

“We always tried to send him [to the front], but today, we decided to try and do something different, and it worked,” said Saez. “If somebody else wanted to go to the lead, we would just stay there. I knew Strike Power was very fast. I know that horse. I rode him a few times and I knew he was going to be sent. He came in with that mentality, to go to the lead. I know they all have the same mentality to go to the lead, but the point where I saw Strike Power, I took him back and made my move. When we came into the stretch and I saw Engage, I knew to let him go.”

Romans raved about the progress Promises Fulfilled has made following the Woody Stephens.

"The horse has done so well since Belmont Day that I just didn't see him losing it, and I'm usually a pessimist, but he's just changed,” said Romans, who trained Promises Fulfilled’s sire Shackleford to victories in the 2011 Grade 1 Preakness and 2012 Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap. “He turned a corner. It's like he's a man now. I think we're going to see bigger and better things out of him. When he backed off, I thought, Luis is a smart kid, he knows what he's doing. I'm happy he sat there, do I want to go 21 [seconds] and change? The best thing Luis did was engage early, he got outside, slowed down a touch, they had the half in 43 together, and still kept going. I haven't had many horses that can do that.”

Promises Fulfilled, third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club as a 2-year-old, has a record of 4-0-2 from eight starts. He has earned $495,280, including for $110,000 for his Amsterdam victory.

Romans said Promises Fulfilled will be pointed toward the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on Travers Day, August 25.

The Amsterdam was the first Saratoga stakes victory for owner Robert Baron, a native of Mohawk, New York. and a longtime business owner in the Albany region. Baron, who purchased Promises Fulfilled for $37,000 as a yearling, played quarterback at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a member of that school’s athletics hall of fame. 

“Bob [Baron] is my good friend, and it's a local boy done well,” said Romans. “That's what this game is all about. This game is the greatest sport there is. You can buy a thirty-thousand-dollar horse and you can compete with a three-million-dollar horse. In this game, you just don't know. I've been saying I haven't won a race in a month, been having the blues the last week or two, all you need is to win at Saratoga and life is good again.”

Engage finished 9 ¼ lengths ahead of Barry Lee, who displayed belated interest to take third from Strike Power. Soutache and Old Time Revival completed the order of finish. World of Trouble, the 5-2 second choice on the morning line, was scratched.