American Promise – Kentucky Derby Context

A well-built chestnut, American Promise broke his maiden the sixth time out at Oaklawn Park in late December. He booked his Kentucky Derby (G1) ticket three starts later, romping on the front end in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. He got away slowly from the starting gate in his first two stakes, unplaced efforts in the Risen Star (G2) and Southwest (G3), but American Promise broke well in the 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby and established a new track record drawing off to a 7 3/4-length decision, registering an excellent 105 Brisnet Speed rating. The improving colt promises to bring speed to the Kentucky Derby after a seven-week freshening.

RELATED: Kentucky Derby News and Notes

OWNER: The nom de course for John Bellinger and Brian Coelho, BC Stables will send out a second consecutive Kentucky Derby starter, finishing 17th with Just Steel in their initial appearance.

TRAINER: A four-time Kentucky Derby winner, D. Wayne Lukas finished third with his first starter, Partez, in 1981, and has competed in 30 previous editions. After achieving great success in the Quarter-Horse ranks, Lukas switched to Thoroughbreds and took the racing world by storm in the 1980s, earning his first Kentucky Derby victory with Winning Colors in 1988. The 89-year-old Hall of Famer has won 15 Triple Crown races, becoming the oldest trainer to do so with Preakness (G1) winner Seize the Grey last year, and Lukas swept six consecutive Triple Crown races from 1994-96, with Tabasco Cat (1994 Preakness and Belmont [G1]), Thunder Gulch (1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont), Timber Country (1995 Preakness), and Grindstone (1996 Kentucky Derby).

JOCKEY: After exercising American Promise in the mornings, Nik Juarez picked up the mount and guided the frontrunning colt to a smashing win in the Virginia Derby. The 31-year-old jockey will make his first Kentucky Derby appearance.

BREEDER: Owned by Everett Dobson, who races under the Cheyenne Stables banner, Candy Meadows will have their first Kentucky Derby starter as a breeder. They sold Kentucky-bred American Promise for $750,000 as a yearling at the 2023 Keeneland September sale. 

SIRE: American Promise is from the third crop of 2018 Triple Crown winner and undefeated Hall of Famer Justify, who has proven to be an immediate success at stud. By Scat Daddy, Justify has already sired champions/highweights in America, Australia, England, France, and Ireland. And the in-demand stallion appears poised to make a serious impact in the Triple Crown series.

DAM: The second stakes winner out of the Tapit mare Tapella, American Promise counts Grade 2-winning Hoosier Philly, a five-time stakes winner who earned nearly $1 million, as a half-sister. It’s a classy female family with stamina influences. One of the great stallions of the modern era and the leading broodmare sire of 2023, Tapit is known for siring a quartet of Belmont winners. As broodmare sire, Tapit counts 2023 Belmont winner and champion three-year-old male Arcangelo and 2023 Kentucky Oaks winner and champion three-year-old filly Pretty Mischievous among his accolades.

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