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WHEN the
management of the Manila Jockey Club Inc. (MJCI) came
out with the news that it is transferring to its new
location in Carmona, Cavite, more than four years ago,
nobody would want to believe it.
I was
even the one who interviewed on-air MJCI president Atty.
Alfonso Reyno Jr. on his plans and his time table about
the transfer of the San Lazaro Hippodrome to its new
place that would be called the San Lazaro Leisure Park (SLLP).
But those interviews and announcements by the MJCI
management were met with mere shrugs and blinking eyes
by almost the majority of the major players of the
industry.
Even
when the grandstand and the racetrack were already
finished, we can point out to you every name and face of
the major players in the industry who wouldn’t want to
believe that races will be transferred to Carmona.
Despite the various developments that were already in
place and it was only weeks when the races would be
transferred to the said racetrack, many of the critics
(most of whom are major players in the industry) were
still harping various lies and bad words about the SLLP.
But look
now who among these personalities dominate the scene at
the SLLP and even get the best stables out there. They
have made a 180-degree turn and are now singing
completely different tunes! That’s how it is in this
industry, right?
I came
out with this because of the new development in the
horseracing industry where two other entities are
announcing the construction of their respective
racetracks that are also located south of Manila. They
are even so near the SLLP and both are in
Cavite.
We are
referring to the Philippine Racing Club Inc. (PRCI),
which is now developing its
Saddle & Club Leisure Park
in Trece Martirez and the one that is being developed by
the Metro Manila Turf Club in Silang. Construction and
development are reported to be on a frenzied pace and
several players in the industry have already been there
and are coming out with their various opinions regarding
the kind of places they have.
The PRCI,
which is entangled with some of its minority
shareholders regarding the stocks-transfer issue to its
land holding company, has already announced that it is
ready by June to transfer to its Trece Martirez
racetrack. On the other hand, the other racetrack in
Silang is also expected to be finished early next year
but many questions have been cropping up on how it would
operate and would squeeze in as far as the
six-day-a-week-races are going on at the two racetracks.
What I
am giving you are second-hand information, meaning these
are coming from those who have been in the know or those
who have been attending the respective inauguration or
topping-off events of which we we’re not invited.
There
are many questions that need to be answered and we hope
we would be able to get in touch with the top officials
of both companies soon in order to get the whole detail
or their various plans in the future.
Will the
various players in the country go to Trece Martirez and
race their horses there? How many of them have been
assured of transferring from their present location to a
new one which is too far away? Many have been
complaining that the SLLP is really far from
Manila
(although it is only 30 to 45 minutes away by car). But
we have heard that many horseowners won’t be traveling
as far as that place is concerned.
Do we
need another racetrack? This is the No. 1 question by
all concerned parties. Two racetracks are more than
enough since the sales and attendance are not getting
any bigger for the past several years now.
How will
the third racetrack operate? As of now, only the Monday
schedule is not being tapped by both the MJCI and the
PRCI. Will the two existing clubs allow the third
racetrack to have a week in a month taken from their
operations? Will they also allow the third racetrack to
use their betting systems scattered around the country?
See?
There are so many questions that need answers. But as we
have said before, the kind of treatment that MJCI’s
Atty. Alfonso Reyno Jr. had received from the various
players of the industry before is also the same kind of
treatment these top officials of the two entities will
be receiving these days until after they can really show
that races are already being held in their respective
racetracks.
****
HERE’S a
letter-sender who wrote us recently and we would like to
give him some space. By the way, we would like to assure
him that we are also coursing his letter to (Ret.) Adm.
Jose de Leon, who is the deputy COO and operations chief
of the Manila Jockey Club.
Hi Andy,
Let me
just congratulate you, Jenny, Ira, and the rest of the
crew for doing a great job in bringing the races on TV
on a very professional level. I wish I could say the
same for the other racetrack announcers.
I used
to write, voicing my opinion in reforming and making the
racing industry something we Filipinos can really be
proud of. But most of my suggestions, I guess, fell on
deaf ears because although SLLP has a first-class
facility, the system has to be overhauled so that racing
should not only be on time, but it should always be at
its best.
I do
not offer my suggestion just for the sake of offering
one. I’m sure many kareristas share my
sentiments. For one, I have been going to the races here
in the Philippines since 1969, when we were still using
the “Tote Board.” I lived in the US from 1986-2002, and
I have witnessed a lot of live racing in
California,
and other parts of the world on TV. We are miles apart
in our racing system compared to racing abroad. Sure, we
have a beautiful track complete with first-class
facilities, but if the system is bulok, we will
never be able to compete worldwide. That’s why we have
not been considered as members of the “World Racing
Association” due to our system.
One of
the improvements you have to make is to raise the
“salary” of those running the show such as the board of
stewards, track announcers calling the race, trainers,
grooms, handicappers, etc. Once you do this, the clubs
can easily get professionals who will not succumb to
pressures from horseowners. An example is our latest
apprentice racetrack announcers. People don’t mind if
they misspell the name of the horses once in a while, or
forget the name of the horse, but to shout at the top of
their voice in excitement which is deafening to the ears
is unacceptable. One can be excited, raise his voice a
little in a professional way, BUT NOT SHOUT AND
GRANDSTAND AT THE SAME TIME trying very hard to copy Ira
Herrera’s style.
Being
involved with the races in MJC, I urge you to bring this
up to management or talk to these guys and tell them
that we can hear them, even if he does not shout at the
top of his voice.
I still
have many things to bring up with you. But for now, I
would just like to congratulate you and the crew for a
job well done.
Ed Banes
BF
Homes, Parańaque |
