Free Wind races like the wind, wins Freedom Cup

Free Wind won the Freedom Cup stakes race as outstanding favorite Red Star Rising came up short in the stretch yesterday at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

Setting out as a far second choice in a field of 11, Free Wind took the lead going into the final straight and then gamely held on in the face of a strong but late homestretch run by Red Star Rising to win the 1750-meter race on a hot, windy afternoon.

In a scintillating win that recalled a similar upset over the great Wind Blown in the 2001 Presidential Gold Cup, Free Wind, guided by jockey Joe Noel Camu, pulled away from the tiring Enchanted Mist going in the final straight and eventually finished half-a-length in front of Red Star Rising.

Free Wind, who sold only P117,091 out of the P1,145,485 total, won for owner R. Liong the top prize of P600,000 , while Red Star Rising settled for P225,000 in a letdown for one who had P642,193 in sales.

Ridden by Manolito Daquis, Red Star Rising went into the race carrying a fine record embellished by big victories in the 2003 Presidential Gold Cup last December and the Philracom Open Classic a few weeks ago.

But on this day, it was Free Wind’s turn to take the spotlight.

The five-year-old bay colt was in the thick of the fight from the start, stalking pacesetting Enchanted Mist ((R.K. Hipolito) from the start and eventually grabbing the lead as they were about to make the final turn for home.

Red Star Rising was still neither here nor there for more than half of the long race. He started rallying at the far turn and was running a far fifth when Free Wind started overtaking Enchanted Mist.

" Masyadong magagaling ang kalaban at hangang sa meta hindi kami siguro sa panalo," said jockey Joe Noel Camu.

He did come up with his expected late rush. Too bad for his backers, Red Star Rising’s rally fell short.

Royal Catch came in third, Absolute Charmer finished fourth while War Hero and Dandansoy wound up fifth and sixth, respectively, in the race serving as part of the 1986 EDSA Revolution festivities. The winning time was 1 minute and 50.5 seconds.