ANOTHER huge racing schedule awaits fans this weekend as the Philippine Racing Commission presents a 24-race extravaganza, highlighted by the Philracom Chairman’s Cup and and the 3YO Imported Fillies Championship on Sunday at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite.
Five stakes races, 18 rating-based handicapping system ones and a two-year-old race comprise Philracom’s offering, led by the Chairman’s Cup, held in honor of former Philracom Chairman Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II, who spearheaded the racing body from 2008 to 2011.
Multi-titled owner Hermie Esguerra has two entries in the 2,000-meter Chairman’s Cup, namely Metamorphosis, to be ridden by jockey FM Racquel, and Salt and Pepper, which will be steered by jockey Pat Dilema, who is coming off a nice win atop Speedmatic in the Philracom Juvenile Stakes Races at the San Lazaro Park.
Out to stop the Esguerra duo are Benjamin Abalos III’s Boxmeer (Jockey MM Gonzales), Leonardo Javier Jr.’s Electric Truth (MA Alvarez), Wilbert Tan’s Pangalusian Island (KB Abobo), Benjamin Abalos Jr.’s Shining Vic (JB Hernandez) and Roberto Inigo’s Smokin Saturday (JT Zarate).
The seven-horse cast in the Chairman’s Cup, which boasts of a total of P2 million in prizes, will shoot for the top purse of P1.2 million, with the runner-up taking P450,000. Third and fourth placers get P250,000 and P100,000, with P70,000 allotted to the breeder of the winning horse.
The cast for the Philracom 3YO Imported Fillies, which will also be run in 2,000 meters, isn’t pushover either, with SC Stockfarm hoping to stretch its amazing run with its coupled entries of Already Feisty (Jockey JA Guce) and Brilliance (KB Abobo).
Joining the fray in the 3YO race, which offers a total prize of P1.5 million, are Cerveza Rosas (JB Hernandez) of Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Naughty Girl (Val Dilema) of Narciso Morales.
A top purse of P900,000 awaits the champion of the 3YO race, with the runner-up getting P337,000 and the third and fourth placers, pocketing P187,500 and P75,000, respectively.
“We expect another exciting day at the racetrack,” said Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez. “Some of the industry’s best runners are running and so we can anticipate another good show for all Filipino racing fans.”