Promise Me Silver handles class rise in Eight Belles

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Promise Me Silver entered Friday’s Kentucky Oaks Day card as an unbeaten stakes winner but one untested in top-class company. She left it, “Eight for eight and the Eight Belles” winner, said her trainer, Bret Calhoun, just after the running of the Grade 3, $200,000 stakes at Churchill Downs.

In her first start against graded stakes competition after racking up seven wins in as many starts in lesser races, Promise Me Silver more than proved up to the challenge in the Eight Belles, recording a 1 1/4-length victory over Grade 1 winner Callback. Her victory gave Calhoun his second straight victory in the race, following Fiftyshadesofgold’s win in 2014.

Well-placed early under Robby Albarado, Promise Me Silver enjoyed a nice trip stalking the pace as longshot Super Saks set hot splits of 22.08 seconds and 44.72 in the seven-furlong Eight Belles. Once in the stretch, Promise Me Silver and Callback had some trouble, getting carried out by the pacesetter as she tired and lugged out.

“I was afraid it might cost us the race,” Calhoun said. “At the end of the day, she was too much horse.”

That she was. Soon after getting taken to the middle of the track, Promise Me Silver surged to the lead, and with Albarado allowing her to drift back toward the inner rail, she maintained a clear advantage. She raced seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:22.90, paying $12.60.

Callback, who threatened in early stretch, grew tired late and just lasted for the place by a head over fast-closing longshot Scat Means Go.

Enchanted Lady, the 5-2 favorite and normally a filly who races close to the pace, was slow into stride and never threatened. She finished ninth, beaten 14 lengths.

Bob Baffert, trainer of Callback and Enchanted Lady, was disappointed with Enchanted Lady. “She was left a little bit and didn’t run at all,” he said.

Promise Me Silver, a 3-year-old daughter of Silver City owned and bred and Robert Luttrell, is likely to follow the same path that Fiftyshadesofgold did last year by racing next in the Grade 1 Acorn at a mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 6. Fiftyshadesofgold ran fourth in the 2014 Acorn, a position Calhoun aims to improve upon this year with Promise Me Silver.