Triple Crown leg a three-way fight

Can Golden Ballet or Halo Effect take one more victory in the Triple Crown this year?

After Golden Ballet ruled the first leg in the Cojuangco Cup, then followed by Halo Effect in the J. V. Ongpin Cup, who could possibly take the Horseman’s Cup (the honoree this year is Ms. Livia de Leon, chairperson of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office)?

The question will be answered today.

Eleven of the country’s top three-year-old will see action in the race offering a total purse of P1.67 million.

The multi-titled Golden Ballet owned by businessman Jun Almeda is the early favorite considering she placed fourth behind Halo Effect, Cutting Edge and Magical Mark.

But there is one thing to remember about today’s distance of 2,050 meters. In races 1,800 meters and beyond, speed is no longer a major factor. Rather, it is what horsemen call "character" or the fighting spirit of the horse. The best way to handicap races at these distances is to choose (a) a horse that has led in the homestretch and wins by at least two lengths; (b) a horse, while not leading in the stretch, gained ground in the stretch and finished within two lengths of the winner. — Ramon Romualdez