A CRACK 10-horse field, led by second-leg winner Smart Candy, will be shooting for the top purse of P600,000 when the third leg of the Philippine Racing Commission’s 3YO Local Fillies and Colts Stakes Race blasts off on Easter Sunday at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.
The SC Stockfarm-owned Smart Candy, to be ridden again by jockey Kevin Abobo, will be shooting for a second straight win in this 1,600-meter stakes race offering a total guaranteed purse of P1 million.
Out to stop Smart Candy are her fellow fillies Facing Dixie (owner Cool Summer Farm, jockey JL Lazaro), Misha (Leonardo Javier Jr., AP Asuncion), Talitha Koum (George Raquidan, CP Henson) and Victorious Filly (Efleda Dela Cruz, JB Guce), alongside colts Goldsmith (Joseph Dyhengco, RG Fernandez), second-leg runner-up Here’s To Life (Jose Quiros, EP Nahilat), The Barrister (Daniel Tan, EG Guerra), Victorious Colt (Jose Antonio Zialcita, OP Cortez) and Wonderland (Herminio Esguerra, Pat R Dilema).
Runner-up gets P225,000, while third and fourth placers, receive P125,000 and P50,000 respectively, with P30,000 going to the breeder of the winning horse.
“The best three-year-old colts and fillies will be at it again on Easter Sunday, delivering an exciting racing experience for everyone,” said Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez.
Smart Candy scored a sweet and emphatic win in the second leg of the series, winning by eight paces over her closest pursuer. Right of the bat, Smart Candy rushed into a swift start, leaving the field following her trail. Smart Candy’s quick burst of speed surprised no one, including her jockey Abobo, who knows the capability of his filly to sustain a good lead and he used it to the hilt as part of their game plan.
The battle for second proved to be more tense, with Here’s To Life nipping Perlas ng Silanganan in a photo finish.
Meanwhile, the Philracom,which deemed it necessary to temporarily change the weekend schedule due to the coming summer season, passed a resolution resolving the schedule of races from April 1 to June 30.
According to the resolution, Saturday schedules must start at 4 p.m., with a maximum of only 10 races, while Sundays have a maximum of 12 races, with Race No. 1 starting at 3 p.m., instead of the usual 2 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday races’ limit include Philippine Charity Sweepstakes, Philracom and other sponsored races, unless additional race/s is/are authorized in writing by the Philracom board.
Holidays falling on a weekday will have a maximum of 12 races.
“The Philracom has a duty to protect our jockeys and horses from the sweltering heat of the summer, hence the change in schedule to the latter part of the day when temperatures are more manageable,” said Sanchez.