Sepfourteen showed convincing form last July 30 when he won the third leg of the 2,000-meter Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown at Santa Ana Park to slam the prestigious event.
The frontrunner of the nine-horse field was Smokin’ Saturday, who jumped quick out of the gate followed by Great Wall in second, Sepfourteen in third, and Brilliance in fourth. Before the first bend, Sepfourteen had dropped back to fourth. The rest of the field ran in back.
Sepfourteen’s rider JA Guce stepped on the gas in the backstretch, the tandem passing by the rail and steadily gaining on Smokin’ Saturday, who refused to give ground. Guce swung Sepfourteen on the outside of the frontrunner as they rounded the top of the home turn.
There was no looking back for the duo, who finished five lengths ahead of second placer Hiway One. Guce was fined P1,000 for grandstanding before crossing the finish line.
Placings: 3rd, Smokin’ Saturday, 4th, Golden Kingdom, 5th, Mount Pulag. Time: 2:07.2 (24’-24’-25’-25’-27’).
Sepfourteen owner Santa Clara Stockfarm received P1.8 million for first place and a P500,000 bonus for the colt’s sweep of the trilogy for elite 3YO. The trainer is Chito Santos in consultation with Ruben Clor.
Two other major Philracom stakes races were held that same day, both also 2,000-meters’ distance.
Hopeful S.: 1st Metamorphosis, 2nd Bossa Nova, 3rd Cerveza Rosas, 4th Stockholm. Time: 2:09 (26-25’-24’-25-28).
3YO Locally-Bred S.: 1st Salt and Pepper, 2nd Battle Chacha, 3rd Caloocan Zap, 4th Sikat, 5th Temecula. Time: 2:08 (26-23’-27-25’-26).
According to Santa Ana Park Racing Manager Antonio B. Alcasid Jr., the day “was very successful. We grossed P63.8 million [for the weekend], the highest with us so far this year.
“We thank the race sponsor Philracom under Chairman Andrew Sanchez, and the racing fans who supported our races,” Alcasid said. “We hope they will enjoy the other exciting events we have lined up for them.”
Alcasid is far too modest: the P63.8 million for a weekend’s sales is actually the highest so far this year among the three racetracks, not just Santa Ana Park.
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The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office will stage its National Grand Derby on Sunday
(Aug. 20) at Santa Ana Park.
The mile race attracted six: Benjamin Abalos III’s Pinagtipunan (with jockey JB Hernandez); Leonardo M. Javier Jr.’s Lollipop (RA Base); Herminio Esguerra’s coupled entries Pinay Pharoah (FM Raquel Jr.) and Salt and Pepper (MM Gonzales); Benhur Abalos’s Son Also Rises (VR Dilema); and Cool Summer Farm’s Great Wall (AP Asuncion).
Exclusive to 3YO and 4YO PCSO maiden race runners, the race has the following prizes: 1st P800,000, 2nd P350,000, 3rd 200,000, 4th 150,000. The charity beneficiary is the Diabetes Center for Underprivileged Filipino Children and Adolescents, Inc.
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On Saturday (Aug. 19) also at Santa Ana Park, Philracom has put up two guaranteed prizes of P150,000 each for the George Y. Stribling Memorial races.
Stribling was an American who visited the Philippines sometime in the 1980s and never left. A former jockey, trainer, and horseowner in the U.S., he was a consultant to the Philippine racing industry and brought many of the sport’s practices in alignment with American racing.
His greatest achievement was the establishment of the Philippine Jockeys Academy, where he trained many of the great riders of today. Along the way he developed warm friendships with them and their families, who warmly welcomed him into their lives as “Lolo George.”
Stribling’s first female apprentice was—myself. More on that next week.
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