Promises Fulfilled ready to roll in Nerud Stakes

Promises Fulfilled will be favored to earn himself a trip back to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint when he takes on eight rivals in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 John A. Nerud Stakes at Belmont Park. The seven-furlong dash, formerly known as the Belmont Sprint Championship Stakes, is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and rewards the winner with a berth into the BC Sprint.

Promises Fulfilled is the only Grade 1 winner in the lineup and as a result carries high weight of 124 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Nerud, conceding as much as 10 pounds to the competition. The field includes Grade 3 winners Nicodemus, New York Central, Warrior’s Club, and Do Share; the red-hot New York-bred Pat On the Back; and Majestic Dunhill, Bon Raison, and Killybegs Captain.

Promises Fulfilled became a Grade 1 winner last summer with his victory in the H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga, the second leg of a three-race win streak that also included victories in the Grade 3 Amsterdam and Grade 2 Phoenix, another Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. As expected, Promises Fulfilled set the early pace in the BC Sprint before tiring late to finish fourth, 5 3/4 lengths behind defending champion and winner Roy H.

Promises Fulfilled was given ample time off to recuperate from those efforts. He has made just two starts this season, both against Grade 1 opposition, finishing third in the Churchill Downs Sprint and fourth against a stellar field in the Metropolitan Mile.

“He’s run against the nuts thus far this year in what I think is the toughest division in horse racing,” trainer Dale Romans said. “I was proud of his efforts in both races just as I’ve been proud of every step he’s taken to this point in his career. And I think he’s going to make a good stallion some day when that career is finally over.”

Romans was pleased that Promises Fulfilled drew the outside post for the Nerud.

“This race came up tougher than I expected,” Romans said. “There are a couple of really good horses in there looking to step up into the big leagues. But seven furlongs is probably his optimum distance. He should come out of there running from the outside, and I think he goes right to the lead on Saturday.”

Nicodemus won the Grade 3 Westchester going a mile over a sloppy track earlier in the meet and came back on dry land to finish a late-running fourth when turning back to 6 1/2 furlongs for the Grade 2 True North in his most recent start.

New York Central and Do Share also became Grade 3 winners for the first time earlier this year. New York Central turned in a career-best performance to capture the six-furlong Maryland Sprint on May 18 at Laurel, while Do Share did likewise rallying to a 6 1/2-length triumph in the Grade 3 Tom Fool at Aqueduct. He has had one subsequent start, finishing a troubled fourth, just 1 1/2 lengths behind Promises Fulfilled, in the Churchill Downs Sprint.