The Philippine Racing Commission’s Top Earning Horse of the Year Sepfourteen engaged in a neck-and-neck battle down the stretch to win the Philracom Commissioner’s Cup last Jan. 20 at the Manila Jockey Club’s San Lazaro Leisure Park.
Sepfourteen, ridden by John Alvin Guce, was sent off as the favorite. First out of the gate was Radioactive, followed by Salt and Pepper and Electric Truth in third. Sepfourteen ran off the pace until the half-mile with Electric Truth just behind.
The favorite rallied at the far turn, as did far fourth choice Electric Truth. The two five-year-olds fought fiercely and hit the wire at almost the same time, resulting in a photo finish.
Sepfourteen won by a nose to bring home the P900,000 purse for first place. Electric Truth earned P337,500 for second place.
Pangalusian Island 3rd, Radioactive 4th. Total time for the 1,750 meter distance: 1:52 (10.2-22.6-24.8-26.2-28.2).
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It was a heart-stopping race and it could have gone either way. Both horses were evenly matched, were the same age and sex, and both carried 55 kgs. In fact, it was so close that some fans are sharing the photo finish image and questioning the results. Could it have been a dead heat? In any case, the stewards made their decision and that’s that.
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Philracom is seeking to widen its pool of stewards and invites those interested in a career as racing stewards to apply for the training course that will be held soon.
Being steward is not easy. You need a strong racing background to qualify to train as a cadet. And don’t think you spend the racing day hanging out at the track, schmoozing with horseowners, trainers, and jockeys—far from it. Once stewards arrive at the track they proceed immediately to the stewards’ stand, a restricted area, and do not leave it except to use the restroom.
Stewards are also discouraged from fraternizing at any other time with racing personalities and fans to quell any inclination to or perception of conflict of interest or bias. They are expected to know the PR (racing rules and regulations) in and out. They must carry out their job with integrity, objectivity, and fairness.
If you think you have what it takes to be a steward, then apply for the training course by sending a letter and your CV to Philracom. The deadline for applications is Jan. 29.
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Horseowner’s Profile: I had the good fortune the other day to meet young horseowner Allan Castro. He took over the stable of his late father Panfilo Castro a couple of years ago.
Castro created a Facebook page —AKG Castro—for his stable so that he could communicate better with fans interested in his horses and their racing career. He has a dozen racehorses so far, among them A Certain Smile, Magic Square, Batas Kamao, and Will to Win.
He has high hopes for the industry’s potential and is interested in finding out how he can contribute to its growth and success.
A savvy social media user, he coined a hashtag for his racing operation based on his personal values and principles—#winwithhonor.
I am very happy to see this quiet, well-spoken man of steadfast principle run his stable with honesty, integrity, and commitment to the highest standards. May his tribe increase!
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FB: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @drhoarsewhsprr, @DrJennyO“‹
