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I JUST
got back from an overnight assignment-cum-vacation in
the beautiful province of Pangasinan.
Yes, to
be exact, we just got back from a Manila-to-Pangasinan
“XC70 Freedom Destination Drive” organized by Volvo of
the Viking Cars. Three journalists from Manila were
hitched by Volvo in its newest car in town, which is the
powerful but very comfortable XC70. Manila Bulletin’s
Aris Ilagan begged off at the last minute, so it was I
and Inquirer’s Aida Sevilla-Mendoza with my youngest
kid, Migoy, who trekked to the place for a more than
four-hour drive to barangay Ilog Malino in Bolinao.
This is
one great place which is less known by those in Manila
but boasts of a beautiful white-sand beaches and
resorts. We were billeted at the Puerto del Sol Resort,
a boutique resort, which is 15 minutes’ away from the
main road, which is directly facing the Lingayen Gulf
and the great South China Sea. This is one reason why
Filipinos should be proud of their more than 7,000
islands.
****
THE US
Triple Crown is still hogging the headlines of the whole
horseracing world.
It’s
almost 10 days away for the May 18 Preakness Stakes at
the Pimlico Racecourse and, as of yesterday, there are
already seven horses that confirmed their participation.
They were Kentucky Derby champ Big Brown, Behindatthebar,
Giant Moon, Kentucky Bear, Stevil, Tres Borrachos and
Yankee Bravo, along with four other potential runners
Big
Brown’s rider Kent Desormeaux, who won five riding
titles at Pimlico from 1987 to 1989, has the mount for
the Preakness. The Hall of Fame jockey has had 10 career
Preakness mounts, including a victory aboard Real Quiet
in 1998. Big Brown will be arriving in
Baltimore
a week from May 7 on a flight that is scheduled to land
at 5:45 p.m. The son of Boundary will be stabled in
Stall 40 of the Pimlico stakes barn.
Big
Brown will be joined in that flight by Tres Borrachos,
the third-place finisher in the April 12
Arkansas
Derby (grade II). The gelding galloped 1-5/8 miles at
Churchill Downs on May 6, with Andy Durnin aboard.
Trainer Beau Greely, who owns the
Ecton
Park
colt in partnership with John Greely IV and Phil
Houchens, was scheduled to be in Louisville later on May
6. Tres Borrachos is scheduled to work Wednesday
morning. Kentucky Bear will be the first Preakness
hopeful to arrive at Pimlico on May 7.
Kentucky
Bear, who has had two consecutive bullet works at
Keeneland the last two weeks, is scheduled to drill at
Pimlico on May 10 at around 8:30 a.m. Trainer Reade
Baker said he is still undecided about a jockey, but is
leaning toward Jamie Theriot, who rode the colt to a
third-place effort in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
(grade I).
In
Southern California trainer Patrick Gallagher said
California Derby winner Yankee Bravo would drill for the
Preakness either on May 7 or 8. Since the victory, the
son of Yankee Gentleman finished third behind Pyro in
the Louisiana Derby (grade II) and fourth behind Colonel
John in the Santa Anita Derby (grade I). Alex Solis, who
won Preakness in 1986 aboard Snow Chief, has the riding
assignment.
El Gato
Malo was expected to be on that flight, but Terry
Finley, founder and president of West Point
Thoroughbreds, announced that the son of El Corredor
will not run in the Preakness, but instead will opt for
the May 10 Lone Star Derby (grade III).
Finley
did say that Macho Again is now possible for the
Preakness, depending on the field size. The other option
for the son of Macho Uno is the Ohio Derby (grade II) at
Thistledown on May 31.
A
potential new runner for the Preakness is Riley Tucker,
who finished third to Behindatthebar in the
Lexington.
The Bill Mott trainee has finished in the money six
times from seven starts. Edgar Prado, who was scheduled
to ride El Gato Malo, would have the mount on Riley
Tucker.
The post
position draw for the Preakness is on May 14 at 5 p.m.
The Preakness is limited to 14 starters. Thirteen of the
last 16 years have produced double-digit starters.
The
owners of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (grade
I) winner Big Brown are close to concluding a deal to
sell the future breeding rights in the son of Boundary,
including an offer from “one of the most widely
recognized stud farms in the world,” according to IEAH
copresident Michael Iavarone.
Big
Brown is owned by International Equine Acquisitions
Holdings Stables, of which Iavarone and Richard Schiavo
are co-presidents and co-CEOs, and Paul Pompa Jr. Other
IEAH partners in Big Brown are Andrew Cohen and Gary
Tolchin.
“We have
some offers we are seriously considering,” Iavarone said
on May 7 of the bidding for the breeding rights to the
undefeated colt who won the May 3 derby as the favorite.
He said a decision would be made soon.
John
Ferguson, bloodstock manager for Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid al-Maktoum’s Darley organization, which last year
spent about $200 million in stallion acquisitions,
including 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and
runner-up Hard Spun, declined to comment specifically on
whether Darley America was interested in standing Big
Brown. |
