Wind Blown blows off Silver Story

Wind Blown put to rest all the questions on his claim as the country’s top charger today when he ruled the First Gentleman Silver Cup yesterday, beating the very horse contesting his stake to racing greatness.

Responding splendidly to the outstanding handling of ace jockey Fernando Raquel, Jr., Wind Blown led from start to finish of the punishing 2,000-meter race, bucking a heavy 59-kg handicap and thwarting the token bid of Silver Story at the top of the stretch to win by two lengths.

The massive four-year-old bay colt by Hazm out of Wind in my Hair won the top P1 million purse for owner Hermie Esguerra, who bought the prized charger from the Javier stable after Wind Blown miserably lost to Phenomenal in a race he was heavily fancied to win.

Wind Blown was really never threatened as it was feared to be as the other revered speedsters in the field of seven either lost in his fast pace or were simply outclassed. Actually, two entries – High Roller and Sweet Lover -- backed out even before the race.

Silver Story, the three-year-old charger whose domination of last year’s Juvenile championships set up this keenly-awaited duel with Wind Blown, obliged to challenge his fancied rival when no one else wanted to step up as he fought Wind Blown head-to-head in the first 400 meters.

As they strode as one before the judges stand for the first time, the gallery erupted in a frenzied mood, expecting a down-to-the-wire duel between the top two chargers although Wind Blown, racing by the rail and virtually reducing Silver Story to a mere pony with his massive built, appeared unbeatable.

Jockey Jonathan Hernandez, whose partnership with Silver Story created a lot of stir and promise during the course of the horse’s amazing streak, knew he couldn’t match Wind Blown’s big strides and opted to step back at the backstretch, falling behind by three, four then five lengths.

Only when Hernandez started to apply the whip did Silver Story make a chase on the pacesetter at the far turn. By the time Wind Blown made the second turn at the homestretch, Raquel looked back and found Silver Story galloping just behind his mount like a zooming car with the roars of the crowd signalling that a threat was in the offing.

But after a couple of whips and some fine urging, Wind Blown sped to another two, three lengths, before coasting to the wire unopposed and sure of his stake as the country’s current top charger. He clocked of 2:06.5 with quartertimes of 22-24-25-26'-29.

Silver Story, bracing for a sweep of this year’s Triple Crown, finished second and won P350,000 for owner Patrick Uy although the grey colt proved he could be a force to reckon with in the future.