Jack’s Promise Pulls Off 11-1 Upset in Gulfstream Park Sprint

Rajiv Maragh guided Jack’s Promise to a decisive three-length victory over favorite Damon's Mound in the Gulfstream Park Sprint S., a Listed six-furlong dash on the fast main track at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old colt covered the distance in 1:10.47, paid $24.80 to win and carried 119 pounds for trainer Dale L. Romans and owner-breeder Baron Thoroughbreds, LLC.

Jack’s Promise pressed from an inside draw, vied for command early and was hard ridden rounding the far turn before battling to the lead heading into the stretch and then lengthening away. The winner clocked a clear margin over Damon's Mound, ridden by Junior Alvarado, who finished second three lengths behind and was followed by Rolando and John R. Velazquez in third a half-length back of second. TDN listed the chart odds at 11.40 for Jack’s Promise and 0.70 for Damon's Mound; Gulfstream had Damon's Mound installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite while Jack’s Promise was 9-2 on the morning line.

This was Jack’s Promise’s stakes debut and his first black-type victory. TDN shows the colt now with a lifetime record of 16-6-3-0 and earnings of $300,405, and it lists a $60,000 winner’s share. Equibase’s chart header identifies the race as Race 10, off at 4:56 p.m., and lists the purse at $125,000; TDN’s formatted race line lists the purse at $105,000, a discrepancy that track officials can confirm. Equibase’s payout table showed place $6.00 and show $4.60, and the multi-race returns included a $1 exacta (2-6) for $35.50, a $0.50 trifecta (2-6-7) for $72.15 and a $0.10 superfecta (2-6-7-8) for $50.16.

Trainer Dale L. Romans, who had given Rajiv Maragh the return mount, celebrated a homebred victory and reflected on the colt’s inconsistency earlier in his career. “We always knew he had a lot of talent, but he'd just throw those clunkers in there [and] we never understood why,” Romans said. “But he won five races last year and he just started putting it all together. He's the horse we thought he was earlier.” Romans added, “He's a homebred for Bob and our own sire, so it's all good stuff. It was a big effort last time. He's put in two big ones back-to-back. The sky's the limit with him. He's got a lot of potential.”

Jack’s Promise is by Promises Fulfilled out of Malibu Treasure by Malibu Moon; TDN noted this winner is the third stakes winner for sire Promises Fulfilled. Gulfstream connections highlighted the colt’s recent form, including a six-furlong allowance score at Churchill Downs three starts back and an optional claiming allowance victory at Gulfstream on Dec. 24. Romans posed for winner’s circle photographs cradling his first grandchild, 4-month-old Henry Marshall Romans, after the Listed triumph.