Promises Fulfilled Seeks Breeders' Cup Berth in Nerud

Robert Baron's Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford) will look to improve on a fourth-place finish in the GI Runhappy Metropolitan H. in Saturday's GII John A. Nerud S., a Win and You're In qualifying race for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. The handsome 4-year-old put together a string of graded victories last year, taking the July 28 GIII Amsterdam S. and the Aug. 25 GI H Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga and the Oct. 5 GII Phoenix S. at Keeneland. He was on the lead early before settling for fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint. After opening 2019 with a fourth-place effort in the Mar. 30 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, Promises Fulfilled was third in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 4, before his fourth-place finish behind Mitole (Eskendereya) in the Met Mile last time out.

“He's doing very well,” trainer Dale Romans said of Promises Fulfilled. “We freshened him up a bit after last year's campaign and he came out of his last race well. He's a young 4-year-old and he's always been improving. Unfortunately, he happens to compete in the toughest division in America.”

Trainer Mike Maker saddles Three Diamonds Farm's Do Share (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Nerud. The former claimer won the Mar. 9 GIII Tom Fool H. at Aqueduct and was a troubled fourth in the Churchill Downs S. last time out.

“He's continued to train forwardly for this race,” said Maker. “Hopefully, we can get a lot of pace for him to run into as I think he will appreciate that. I think Tyler [Gaffalione] will get along with him well. Hopefully we will have a good trip.”

New York Central (Tapit), second in last year's GIII Pat Day Mile, enters the Nerud off a career-best win in the May 18 GIII Maryland Sprint S. and will look to build on that effort for trainer Steve Asmussen and WinStar Farm and China Horse Club Saturday.