Fourth favorite Dewey Boulevard surprised racing fans last Saturday (June 11) by winning the second leg of the Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown series at Metroturf Racecourse in Malvar, Batangas.
The 3YO colt owned by Herminio S. Esguerra and trained by Ruben S. Tupas posted 1:52 (13’-22’-24-23’-28’) for the 1,800-meter journey under the guidance of Jonathan Hernandez. Hernandez was fined P1,000 by the stewards for grandstanding before reaching the finish line.
Dewey Boulevard’s connections earned the first prize of P1.8 million for their victory. Corresponding prizes were awarded up to fourth place and to the winning breeder, Herma Farms and Stud also owned by Esguerra.
Radioactive 2nd, Underwood 3rd, Space Needle 4th.
In the Philracom Hopeful Stakes held that same day, longshot Striking Colors, owned by Cool Summer Farm and steered by AP Asuncion, dominated the 1,800-meter race to win the P600,000 first prize.
Pinagtipunan 2nd, Homonhon Island 3rd, Secret Kingdom 4th. Time: 1:54.4 (13’-23’-24-24-29’).
The third leg of the Philracom Triple Crown as well as the Hopeful and 3YO Locally-Bred Stakes races will be held on July 10 at San Lazaro Leisure Park.
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Creator surprised racing fans worldwide with an upset win in the July 11 Belmont Stakes, capping an interesting US Triple Crown year which saw different horses win each leg.
Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby while Exaggerator took the Preakness Stakes.
Creator came from the middle of the pack and squeezed between two horses to win by a nose. Destin placed second, the Japan-based Lani third. All three are grays. Exaggerator placed 11th.
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The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Racing Committee announced the horses nominated for its 16 July 2016 2YO Open maiden race to be held at Santa Ana Park:
Leonardo Javier Jr.’s Foolish Princess, Joseph Dyhengco’s Street Sign, Jade Brothers’ Kid Solis, lawyer Narciso Morales’s Stravinsky, MO Morales’s Magic Wallet, and N. Cruz’s Amazing Cole.
The lineup for the July 26 Silver Cup also at Santa Ana Park remains the same: Ferdinand Eusebio’s 5YO colt Tan Goal (jockey JB Guce), Benhur C. Abalos’s 4YO filly Gentle Strength (JB Hernandez), Ruben Dimacuha’s 5YO colt Low Profile (Mark Alvarez), Joseph Dyhengco’s 5YO colt Dixie Gold (RG Fernandez), lawyer Narciso Morales’s coupled entries – 5YO colt Messi (JA Guce) and 4YO filly Superv (JB Bacaycay), and Benjamin Abalos III’s 5YO colt Kanlaon (VR Dilema). All colts will carry 55.5 kgs and fillies 54 kgs.
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Racing fans have something exciting to look forward to on August 21 —the 8th Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing Racing Festival, the most successful such event in the sport for the past several years.
The racefest in honor of the late Manila mayor and staged by his family has become an annual tradition since it was established. It was recognized earlier this year by Philracom as the top-grossing racing festival in 2015.
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