Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes; 1 1/16 miles; Gulfstream; March 3, 2018 (50 Derby qualifying points for a win, 20 for second, 10 for third, 5 for fourth) Winner: Promises Fulfilled, by Shackleford Trainer: Dale Romans Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Owner: Robert J. Baron Beyer Speed Figure: 96 :: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis In a race that looked like it had plenty of speed, PROMISES FULFILLED made the top with aggressive handling leaving the outside post, and then Ortiz backed the pace down, with a second quarter in 24.59 seconds after an opening quarter in 23.80 seconds. With no one seriously pushing him, he was able to dictate terms and lead from start to finish in his first start of the year. Promises Fulfilled won his first two races last year before his lone loss, when third in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. As I wrote in that analysis, he was “rank and tough to handle into the backstretch,” and “again had trouble cornering when he reached the far turn.” Turns out, there was a legitimate excuse for those antics. Romans said Promises Fulfilled emerged from that race with a popped splint in his left front, which would obviously cause discomfort and force a horse to try to lug out. He got time off to address than injury, and came back with a career-best performance. The disappointment in this race was GOOD MAGIC, last year’s champion 2-year-old male. He didn’t seem to have much of an excuse in the race, but this was the first of two preps for him, and last fall he ran his best race in the third start of his career, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, so he has a right to make forward moves in subsequent starts. The Derby would mark his third start off a layoff, analogous to his preparation before the Breeders’ Cup.  In this race, Promises Fulfilled was sent hard by Ortiz and was able to get over to the rail in the first eighth of a mile. He went along comfortably down the backstretch, denied the inside bid of STORM RUNNER with five furlongs to go, continued to go well within himself entering the far turn, and turned back STRIKE POWER through the lane. :: Just reduced! Save on The Road to the Kentucky Derby Player's Package Strike Power, who finished second, was making his first start around two turns after a pair of sprint wins. He had been trained to sit behind a workmate in his final drill prior to this race, so when Promises Fulfilled was intent on the lead, the decision was made by jockey Luis Saez to let Promises Fulfilled go. Strike Power and Saez let Promises Fulfilled cross over, then they got outside and sat second. This likely prevented Strike Power from engaging in what may have turned into a rapid pace, and it helped both Promises Fulfilled and Strike Power run one-two throughout. Strike Power raced just behind and outside Promises Fulfilled the whole way, was asked to hold his position beginning three furlongs out, put up a game fight, but was second best. He did not change leads through the lane, and my concern over him as a Derby prospect is that I think this distance already is at the outer limit of his comfort level. But he’s a tough son of a gun. Good Magic, who finished third, was just behind and outside the top two while three paths wide on the first turn. He stayed in that spot to the far turn, was three wide – outside both Promises Fulfilled and Strike Power -- on the far turn, but was outrun from the quarter pole to the wire and was only going evenly through the lane. MACHISMO, who was fourth, wound up three paths wide while mid-pack around the first turn, got shuffled back to last early on the backstretch, had to check slightly entering the far turn, rallied between horses while three paths wide on the far turn, and finished decently. Considering that he was exiting sprints in which he showed speed, but rallied from behind here with a bit of a trip, this was a pretty good effort. MARCONI, who was fifth, is a lumbering type who has no early speed. He took a few strides to get in rhythm, trailed while three to four paths wide on the first turn, raced four paths wide on the far turn, never was a threat and really only passed tired rivals. GOTTA GO, who was sixth, settled into mid-pack while racing in the two path around the first turn, raced between rivals down the backstretch, was asked to advance entering the far turn, but had nothing to offer. Storm Runner, who was seventh, was deftly guided to the rail entering the first turn to follow Promises Fulfilled, had to check slightly entering the backstretch, was ridden along five furlongs out to try and go up inside Promises Fulfilled only to have the door slam shut, sat behind Promises Fulfilled anew, checked slightly again three furlongs out, then steadily faded through the final quarter mile. The trip did him no favors, but he also likely wants to be on or near the lead, not sitting behind rivals. HE TAKES CHARGE, who was eighth, saved ground toward the back of the pack around the first turn, continued to get a gorgeous ground-saving trip down the backstretch and around the far turn, but was simply outrun. PEPPERED, who finished last of nine, bobbled leaving the gate, was near the rear of the pack into the first turn while appearing to resent the kickback, made up some ground down the backstretch while in the middle of the track, went into the far turn about three paths wide, was asked to advance, but retreated.