A CASH windfall is at stake when the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) holds the third leg of its Triple Crown Series on July 30 (Sunday), with Sepfourteen going for a historic sweep at the Saddle & Clubs Leisure Park, in Naic, Cavite.
The winning tandem of Sepfourteen and jockey John Alvin Guce made it two in a row in the Triple Crown series at the San Lazaro Park last month, putting the three-year-old colt of SC Stockfarm in a position to make history in the third leg of the series offering a guaranteed total prize of P3 million, with P1,800,000 going to the winner.
If Sepfourteen completes a sweep of the Triple Crown and wins the third leg set over a longer distance of 2,000 meters, he’ll join the greats such as Fair and Square in 1981, Skywalker (1983), Time Master (1987), Magic Showtime (1988), Sun Dancer (1989), Strong Material (1996), Real Top (1998), Silver Story (2001), Hagdang Bato (2012), and Kid Molave (2014).
Standing in Sepfourteen’s way is an elite cast, headed by Brilliance, Golden Kingdom and Smokin’ Saturday. Also joining the fray in the 9-horse field are Batang Poblacion, Greatwall, Hiway One, Mount Pulag and Pangalusian Island.
Three stakes races, two charity races and eight rating-based races comprise Philracom’s racing extravaganza at the Philippine Racing Club’s track. The rating-based races are a result of the Philracom’s membership with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, whose mission is to promote good regulation and best practices on international matters pertaining to the sport.
The charity races for one have a guaranteed P300,000 in prizes, with P180,000 going to the winner. In the rating-based races, a guaranteed prize of P130,000 is allocated to the winner, sponsored by the PRCI. Added prizes in the rating-based handicapping system are a minimum of P180,000 to Class 1 races and P150,000 to Class 2. Classes 3 to 5 will get a minimum of P120,000, P90,000 and P60,000, respectively.
Also on tap on Sunday is the Philracom Hopeful Stakes Race offering P1 million in total prizes and the Philracom 3YO Locally Bred Stakes Race, with P500,000 at stake.
Bossa Nova, Cerveza Rosas, Metamorphosis and Stockholm will be dueling in the Hopeful Stakes Race, while Battle Chacha, Caloocan Zap, Kingship, Lemonada, Oceanside, Puwerto Prinsesa, Salt and Pepper, Sikat, Stravinsky and Temecula comprise the 3YO Locally Bred Stakes.
The three-leg series is patterned after the United States’ Triple Crown, with its three legs comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, also with progressively longer distances.
“We have prepared a solid lineup for our racing aficionados to enjoy. And I’m sure the increase in prize money will be highly appreciated by horseowners, too, ” Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez said.