Fave Magna Carta rules Klub Don Juan derby

MANILA, Philippines -  Heavy favorite Magna Carta won the 10th Klub Don Juan De Manila Derby convincingly over the weekend at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park in Cavite.

Owned by Michael Javier, Magna Carta pulled away from the 12-horse field in the last 300 meters to win with a time of 2:06:60 over a distance of 2,000 meters.

“Going into the race, we were confident of winning.  Our horse was in very good condition,” Javier said.

 Finishing second behind Magna Carta was Cheese Mosa with a time 2:07:00 while sprint horse Hari Ng Yambo, the Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown first leg winner, finished a close third with a time of 2:07:60.

Lord of War, the horse which went down the wire with Magna Carta in the second leg of this year’s Triple Crown, started strong and lead for almost three-fourth of the race before fading away.

“Our plan was to stay close with the lead horses before making a move late in the race.  There were some tense moments but we pulled through,” Javier said.

Expertly ridden by jockey Jesse Guce, Magna Carta has been one of the best performing horses in big stakes races this year.

Aside from winning this year’s edition of the Klub Don Juan De Manila Derby and the second leg of the Triple Crown, Magna Carta finished a strong second in the first leg of the Triple Crown and in the Division I race of the 3rd Ramon D. Bagatsing Memorial Racing Festival.

The victory of Magna Carta made it a double celebration for the Javier family as Mayor Leonardo Javier Jr. and his thoroughbred Patron, ridden by John Paulo Guce, won the Klub Don Juan De Manila Juvenile Colts race.

Patron won with a time of 1:27:40 over a distance of 1,400 meters.  Finishing second and third were Steel Creation and Golden Empire.

The other featured race, Klub Don Juan De Manila Juvenile Fillies, was ruled by Humble Riches with a time of 1:26:40 followed by Alpha Alleanza and Fair Wind.