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IT’S two
down, one to go for Ibarra’s hunt for immortality in his
very young career as he bested his rivals on Sunday in
the JV Ongpin Cup, the second of the three-jeweled event
of the local Triple Crown Championship Series at the San
Lazaro Leisure Park (SLLP).
The
three-year-old island-born bay colt by American stallion
Yonaguska out of another American broodmare Fire Down
Under puts up a very dominating performance that left
his six rivals eating his dust.
Ibarra
crossed the payoff wire some five lengths ahead of his
closest pursuer and tied the existing record in the
1,750-meter distance of 1:48 Real Spicy posted last year
during the June 26 Gran Copa de Manila. Ibarra
registered quarters of 10’-22’-24’-24’-26’ with jockey
Antonio Alcasid Jr. onboard.
“Masyadong
magaling at malamig manakbo si kabayo ngayon. Lahat ng
paghihirap namin eh malapit nang magresulta ng maganda
kapag na-sweep namin ang series,” blurted
jockey Alcasid after dismounting from his prized
galloper.
He also
noticed that the horse is maturing fast enough to face
the rigors of the series. “Medyo malamig na siyang
manakbo at medyo concentrated na hindi na katulad
nu’ng dati. We’re hoping to sweep the series for
good by next month!”
The
victory was worth another top prize of P1.8 million for
Mandaluyong mayor-elect Benhur Abalos who was also very
calm and poised while watching his horse perform from
the veranda of the VIP section of the SLLP grandstand.
After the awarding ceremony, he obliged to my request
for an interview at the live coverage panel of the
races.
“I would
like to thank all the people who prayed and supported us
all throughout. Marami pong salamat sa inyo. I am
also very happy with the way the whole team made it easy
for Ibarra to win those two legs. We hope to win the
third and final leg and sweep the series,” said Mayor
Abalos.
If
Ibarra tops the July 22 Horseman’s Cup, the third and
final leg of the 2007 Triple Crown Championship series,
also at the SLLP, he will be only the eighth horse in
the history of the event for three-year-olds to sweep
all three jewels since its inception in 1978.
The
first was the legendary Fair & Square in 1981, followed
by Skywalker in 1983, Time Master in 1987, Magic
Showtime in 1988, Sun Dancer (the only filly to do the
hat-trick) in 1989, Strong Material in 1996, Real Top in
1998 and Silver Story in 2001.
It was
Es Twenty Six who grabbed the early lead as the gates
flew open but Ibarra, coming out on stall No. 3, easily
went ahead. But jockey Alcasid kept his hands firmly on
Ibarra as he maintained a one-length lead over the
second-running Es Twenty Six all through the first three
cantos. Far second choice Golden Sutter (who came in
second in the first leg) was dead last in the early
going while Lord Boni (third placer in the first leg)
was also seen at the rear.
At the
far turn, Ibarra moved ahead by two lengths but Es
Twenty Six came back surging but failed to come closer
to the leader. By that time. Treasured Ack was already
hovering in third position while Golden Sutter and Lord
Boni were already rallying from the outer rail. Best
Kept Secret and Passing Through were already fading.
As they
hit the top of the stretch, jockey Alcasid applied the
whip twice on the right side of horse and once on the
left and Ibarra zoomed ahead for good.
Es
Twenty Six hang on the second and picked up the
runner-up prize of P675,000 while Golden Sutter and
Treasured Ack finished third and fourth for P375,000 and
P150,000, respectively. Rounding out the finishers were
Lord Boni fifth, Passing Through sixth, and Best Kept
Secret seventh and last.
For his
part, trainer Ruben Tupas was also very mild in
assessing the chances of his horse for a sweep. “Medyo
matagal pa ‘yan. We hope that the condition of the
horse eh magpatuloy pa rin sa gan’un. ‘Me tsansang
maka-sweep kapag kundisyon ang kabayo. Sa tingin
ko eh gan’un na rin ang gagawin naming ensayo sa kabayo.
Puro marahan lang para naman hindi siya mapagod nang
husto,” said Tupas, who had already trained a Triple
Crown champion in Sun Dancer, who was formerly owned by
a Japanese businessman Toshio Abe.
Maribel
Ongpin, wife of the late former finance minister Jaime
Ongpin (in whose honor the race is being held), handed
the trophies to the winners and she was assisted by
Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) commissioners
Vic Tantoco and Eyo Fernando together with Manila Jockey
Club Inc.’s Johnny de Leon.
Later in
the evening, it was Hermie Esguerra’s Ididitmyway,
ridden by jockey JB Hernandez, who prevailed in the
Hopeful Stakes, also sponsored by the Philracom.
The
three-year-old bay colt by Self-Feeder out of Jacy’s
Winner eked out a neck victory to bag the top prize of
P480,000. He beat the onrushing Superamerica, with
jockey Antonio Alcasid Jr. also onboard. The Victor
Martinez-owned bay colt snatched the runner-up prize of
P180,000 while top choice Legendary and Lovely Bid
finished third and fourth for P100,000 and P40,000,
respectively. |
