P1-M Philracom Christmas invitational to cap weeklong racing

Exciting thoroughbred racing action starts a day earlier at the San Lazaro Hippodrome as the Manila Jockey Club Inc. (MJCI), the country’s premier race club, sets off six days of racing with a topnotch card of nine twilight races starting tonight.

MJCI is holding the extra racing day to make up for one scheduled card that was cancelled last April due to a fire that razed several stables adjacent to the San Lazaro race track.

Regular midweek night races will be held through Wednesday and Thursday starting at 5:45 p.m. and start earlier at 3 p.m. on Friday, December 6, a recently declared non-working holiday marking the Ramadan. Nine races have been scheduled throughout the racing days.

The six-day racing extravaganza culminates on Sunday with 14 races highlighted by a pair of Philracom Christmas Invitational Races with a total bankroll of P1-million sponsored by the Philracom.

Among the invited starters in Group 1 of the featured race are Ariba King, Family Task, Free Wind, Golden Ballet, Halo Effect, Hyperbid, Kitty Hawk, Lord of All, Lyonnais, Mighty Strong, San Diego Force, Silver Story, Staunch Ally, What a Spell and Wind Blown.

Group 2 invitees include Al Baraq, Be Quiet, Bull Rider, Burning Light, Dandansoy, District Three, Fast Eddie, Gemstone, Golden Eagle, Heavenly, Master Ijhay, Perfect Storm, Rapid Strike, Señor Raggaas, The Fox and Velocity.

Both races carry a prize pot of P500,000 each with P300,000 guaranteed to the winner. Final day of declaration of entries has been set for tomorrow at the Philracom office.

Group 1 of the Philacom Christmas Invitational Races offers a sneak preview of the upcoming PSCO Presidential Gold Cup Race on December 22, also at the San Lazaro Hippodrome.

Meanwhile, Triregal unleashed a big burst of speed in the final 400 meters the other day and went on to post a two-length victory in the 2002 Philracom All-Imported Championship at the Sta. Ana Park.

Replacement jockey DH Borbe handled Triregal pretty well as she took the lead from Buena Sera just close to the finish of the 1,800-meter race that offered a winner’s purse of P600,000. Borbe took the place of JT Zarate.

Buena Sera came in second followed by Jade Louise and Sunny Puddles. Triregal had a winning time of 1:55.6 with quartertimes of 14’-24-26-25-26’. — Ramon Romualdez