AFTER the Klub Don Juan de Manila (KDJM) and the Metropolitan Association of Race-Horse Owners Association (Marho), two of the three major horse owners’ group in the country today, it’s the turn of the Philippine Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Organization (Philtobo) to host its major racing festival on December 2 at the Sta. Ana Park.

Five major races are slated in the eighth edition of the Philtobo Grand Championship Day, the highlight of which is the Grand Classic Championship. The other four include the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Mitra Cup Juvenile Colt, the Philracom Mitra Juvenile Filly, the Amb. Antonio Lagdameo Cup-3-YO Colt and the Augusto S. de Jesus Cup-3YO Filly.

There will be six official participants in the Philtobo Grand Championship Classic that will be disputed over the back-breaking 2,050-meter distance. The entries include David Lee’s Empire King, Val Cayco’s Special Edition, Bienvenido Niles’ Paramount, Sonny Abella’s Ocean Deep, Paolo Mendoza’s Don Paolo and Herminio Esguerra’s Eye Candy.

Here are the contenders in the other four major championship races:

Juvenile Colt (1,500 meters): Don Enrico, Northstorm, Unopposed, Dumadagundong, Black Label and He’s The Man.

Juvenile Filly (1,500 meters): La Diva, Tempest, Luna Rosa, Indelible Ink, Anonymous and Twin Turbo.

3YO Colt (1,600 meters): Macho Man, Afternoon Delight, Pacman, Enjoy Me and Superamerica.

3YO Filly (1,600 meters): Western City, Landed Visa, Royal Academy and Minsk City.

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THE Philtobo Mitra Cup Championship Races, a futurity event showcasing the best horses to come out of the highly successful Philtobo Horse Shows that started in 1999, was launched in October 2002 in “an effort to give further impetus to the breeding and racing quality thoroughbreds in the country.”

It was a culmination of “a long-term goal to institionalize the annual horse show, an event that was principally the brainchild of Philtobo’s founding chairman, the late Speaker Ramon “Monching” Mitra. There were five major championship races when the races were launched on October 9, 2002.

Patterned after the highly successful futurity incentive schemes in the United States, Europe and Australia, the Mitra Cup Juvenile Championships were envisioned to become an annual horseracing spectacle comparable to the stature and prestige of such renowned classics like the US’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Australia’s Golden Slipper.

Since its inception in 1999, the Philtobo is being led by its chairman and now Amb. Antonio Lagdameo and president Bienvenido Niles Jr., while among its current officials include Francisco Cayco, vice president; Jess Cantos, treasurer; Kerby Chua, corporate secretary; and directors David lee, Ed Gonzalez, Raymund Puyat, Manny Santos, Jun Sevilla, Mar Tirona, Johnny Tionloc, Manny Viray and Albert Yam.

For those who would like to reminisce, here are the the past winners in all the divisions of the annual major event:

*Inaugural Edition               - October 8, 2000 – PRCI

Classic                                  -               Gold Edition

JRA Cup                                -               Hazmoore

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               Silver Story

Mitra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               Speed Goddess

Mitra Cup 3YO preview       -               High Roller

Second Edition                    - October 13, 2001 – MJCI

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               Mighty Strong

Mitra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               Golden Ballet

Mitra Cup 3YO Colts           -               Batangas Entry

Mitra Cup 3YO Fillies          -               Ilocandia Slew

Third Edition                         - October 5-6, 2002 – PRCI

Classic                                 -               Lord Of All

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               High Octane

Mitra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               Twister

Mitra Cup 3YO Colts           -               Mighty Strong

Mitra Cup 3YO Fillies          -               Golden Ballet

JRA Cup                                -               Buena Sera (Australia)

PCSO Swepstakes             -               Security Master

Fourth Edition                       - November 9, 2003 – PRCI

Pioneer Insurance Classic               -               Wind Blown

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               Empire King

MItra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               I Love This Game

Philtobo 3YO Colts              -               High Octane

Philtobo 3YO Fillies            -               War Hero

Tanduay Open                     -               Absolute Charmer (Australian)

Fifth Edition                           - October 17, 2004 – PRCI

Wind Blown Classic           -               Art of Rose

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               Real Spicy

Mitra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               Lamborghini

Motolite 3YO Colts               -               Empire King

Motolite 3YO Fillies             -               Cover Girl

Magic Millions Philtobo Open           West Bound

Sixth Leg Imported Series                 -               Being There  (Australian)

Sixth Edition                          - November 6, 2005 – PRCI

GMA Unity Classic               -               Empire King

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               Manila’s Gem

Mitra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               Special Edition

Vicente G. Puyat 3YO Colts               Real Spicy

Philracom 3YO Fillies         -               Eurobucks

Pioneer-Wind Blown Sprint               -               Vivere

Magic Millions Open           -               Speed Advantage

Philracom Sampaguita      -               Cat’s Gold            

Seventh Edition                    - December 3, 2006 – PRCI

Philtobo Classic                 -               Real Spicy (JB Guce)

Mitra Cup Juvenile Colts    -               Sir Luis (MF Daquis)

Mitra Cup Juvenile Fillies   -               Landed Visa (JB Cordero)

3YO Colts                              -               Don Exequiel (PR Dilema)

3YO Fillies                            -               Jet Sutter (MF Daquis)

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AFTER the Klub Don Juan de Manila (KDJM) and the Metropolitan Association of Race-Horse Owners Association (Marho), two of the three major horse owners’ group in the country today, it’s the turn of the Philippine Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Organization (Philtobo) to host its major racing festival on December 2 at the Sta. Ana Park.