Crowning Point Farm

We are so proud of one of the c**ts we raised at Crowning Point farm, Promises Fulfilled won the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) yesterday and is now a hopeful for the Kentucky Derby!

I was a bit surprised yesterday with his win. Like everyone else I wondered if he could do it, But he like Every good horse has a story. Promises Fulfilled was born into the world a fighter. I thought everyone should know what we go through on the farms to make the dream come true.

It was late in the breeding season of 2014. Marquee Delivery foaled a c**t May 15th. This is late to foal in the Thoroughbred world. The mare was known to carry her foals a bit over her due date making it hard to get her back in foal without getting a June foal in 2015. No one wants a May or June baby because it it thought to put them at a disadvantage at the sale and in racing. (We all know that many Champions were born in May, Cigar as one example) I knew if we were going to try to breed her, we wanted a fertile stallion. I use as my reproductive vet, Dr. Etta Bradecamp of Rood and Riddle and we were 100% pregnancy rate on first cover with mares sent to Shackleford, We even had one who couldn't get a double and didn't ovulate for 7 days, still came up pregnant. We joked that if you just walk a mare close to him they got pregnant. Not true, the guys at Darby Dan and Shackelford did their part. Mr. Jacobs agreed to try and Marquee delivery was bred to Shackleford on June 9th, 2014, We had one shot, got lucky and the mare was in foal.

The following year, May 11, 2015 Promises Fulfilled was born.

He didn't come into the world easily. It was a hard labor for his mother. The labor was also hard on the foal and while in the birth canal he was deprived of oxygen. We noticed as soon as he started breathing on his own that something wasn't normal. He was weak and sleepy acting. We got him started on oxygen, and called Dr. Laurie Metcalfe of Rood and Riddle. Dr Metcalfe left her warm bed and family and came out at 3 am to care for the newborn. She did her magic, administered a "dummy jug" , plasma, put some colostrum in his belly and set up a treatment plan.

It took a little c**t who was born the will to live, a great breeder and vet plus my wonderful staff who cared for him around the clock, to help fulfill the promise.

Marquee Delivery was bred back to Shackleford this year. I can't wait to see the full sibling.

Thank you, Dale Romans and team for the great job!
We are enjoying the ride!

Julie Rini
Crowning Point Farm

Promises Fulfilled Pulls Fountain of Youth Upset Promises Fulfilled backed up trainer Dale Romans' faith in the $400,000 Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) when the 18-1 longshot delivered a gate-to-wire upset over Strike Power and champion Good Magic in the 1 1/16-mile test.

Love the changes he's made at Darby Dan. Great team has helped the most!

Giving something back: how Darby Dan’s John Phillips treasures the legacy of Galbreath and Ribot | Topics: Roberto, Darby Dan Farm, Ribot | Thoroughbred Racing Commentary Article by Amanda Duckworth: In recent years, Darby Dan Farm has certainly been having a renaissance, and the historic farm’s owner, John Phillips, credits the team around him while keeping an eye toward the future. It is a philosophy reminiscent of the one held by his grandfather, who founded Dar...

Sunrise and sunsets on the farm.

The sun is coming up a little later every morning. It will be Nice today with a high or 77.