|
MY
Gregory of the Keeneland information bureau told me
recently that there are 33 horses that were bought by
Filipino horsemen who participated in the recent almost
three weeks of fantastic and record-breaking sale in
Kentucky.
She
added that more than P20 million have been recorded by
the said purchases, which is the biggest so far to be
recorded among the international participation of the
Filipinos in any international horse auction.
Two big
buyers from
Manila,
who are represented by their respective
horsemen-representatives in the heated bidding, were
said to be the biggest buyers from the Filipino
delegation. One Filipino horseman who participated in
the recent Keeneland sales said he was really amazed
with the way the two new faces in the racing industry
acquire their gallopers in the auction.
“Nakakagulat
talaga kung mamili sila. Maraming dalang pera at mukhang
nag-iinvest talaga ng husto para sa mga darating na
panahon. Maganda ’yan sa industriya dahil malaking
tulong ang maidadagdag ng kanilang mga acquisitions
sa breeding sa bansa,” said the horseman.
The two
new faces who were big spenders in the Keeneland sales
were former-Batangas governor Armand Sanchez, who was
being represented during the heated biddings by local
breeder-hroseowner Sandy Javier; and Pampanga’s Bong
Pineda. The two have already been seen in the races
several months before and were reported to have already
acquired several local horses.
But
because of the scarcity of horses for sale locally, the
two were encouraged by their respective advisers to
breed their own gallopers through acquisition of
prospective broodmares from abroad.
This is
the reason why most of their newly acquired horses from
the said Keeneland sale were mares that are in-foal to
several named stallions in the US right now.
REAL
QUIET, the famous 12-year-old son of Quiet American out
of the Believe It mare Really Blue who is one of the
well-liked stallions of the local horsemen, will be
transferring to Penn Ridge Farm in Pennsylvannia from
Pin Oak Farm.
The 2008
fee for the 1998 champion three-year-old male is pegged
at $10,000. This year, Real Quiet is represented by a
pair of Grade I winners as well as the earners of $4.2
million.
Midnight Lute, one of the favorites for champion sprinter, captured
the TVG Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade I) and Forego Stakes
(Grade I). He ran second in the November 24 Hill ‘n’
Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (Grade I). Pussycat Doll, a
Grade I winner the past two years, won the Santa Monica
Handicap (Grade I). Real Quiet also is the sire of
additional 2007 graded stakes winner Silent Pleasure and
earlier Grade I winner Wonder Lady Anne L. His career
progeny earnings are $12.3 million. He won the Kentucky
Derby (Grade I) and Preakness Stakes (Grade I). He was
beaten by a nose in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I).
REMEMBER
Kona Gold, the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint champion,
Eclipse Award Sprint awardee and Horse of the Year
runner-up who was formerly owned by Kalookan Rep. Luis
“Baby” Asistio?
The
13-year-old Kona Gold is now being invited to live the
rest of his life at the Hall Of Champions at the
Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, Kentucky. Kona Gold
(Java Gold—Double Sunrise, by Slew o’ Gold) is the only
Breeders’ Cup winner to compete in five consecutive
Breeders’ Cup. He finished third in 1998 and was second
in 1999. Kona Gold retired at the age of 10, ending his
career with 11 stakes wins, an overall record of 30
starts (14-7-2), and $2,293,284 in total earnings. At
age 13, Kona Gold has been serving as Headley’s stable
pony in Southern California since his retirement in
2003. He is also coowned now by Irwin Molasky and Andrew
Molasky.
THE
keenly awaited Philtobo Grand Championship Races this
Sunday at the Santa Ana Park that is organized annually
by the Philippine Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’
Organization (Philtobo) is now on its eighth edition and
is expected to be a big hit not only among the local
racing aficionados but also to various sectors of the
industry.
The
highlights of the day-long activities hosted by the
Philippine Racing Club are the five major championship
races that offer a total prizes of P500,000 each—the
Philtobo Grand Championship Classic, the
Philracom-Philtobo Mitra Cup Juvenile Colt and the
Philracom-Philtobo Mitra Cup Juvenile Filly
Championships, and the Three-Year-Old Colt and the
Three-Year-Old Filly Championships.
The
winners in each division will go home P300,000 richer
while the runner-up picks up P125,000, third P50,000 and
fourth P25,000.
“The
organizing Philtobo is once again honored with the
whole-hearted support the industry. This year’s
celebration highlights the achievements of every
horseman who gives his best in the pursuit of honor and
glory. I also give credit to our officers who did their
best to make this year’s event a big success,” said
Philtobo president Bienvenido Niles Jr.
Besides
Niles as the president, the current chairman of the
organization is Amb. Antonio Lagdameo while the other
officers include Don Antonio Floirendo and Augusto S. de
Jesus, chairmen emeritus; vice president Francisco Cayco;
treasurer Jess Cantos; corporate secretary Kerby Chua;
and directors David Lee, Ed Gonzalez, Raymund Puyat,
Manny Santos, Jun Sevilla, Mar Tirona, Johnny Tionloc,
Manny Viray and Alber Yam. The chairman of this year’s
organizing committee is Emmanuel Santos.
Four
veteran gallopers battle it out in the premier Classic
Championship that will be disputed over the long and
back-breaking 2,050-meter distance and they are: Val
Cayco’s Special Edition to be ridden by Dominador Borbe
Jr., Bienvenido Niles’ Paramount, Val Dilema; Sonny
Abella’s Ocean Deep, John Anthony Guce; and Paolo
Mendoza’s Don Paolo, Pati Dilema.
In the
four other championship races slated during the day, the
official entries together with the official starters and
their respective jockeys include:
Philracom-Philtobo Mitra Cup Juvenile Colt (1,500
meters): Wi Lee Uy’s Don Enrico, John Cordero; Mario
Tan’s North Storm, John Anthony Guce; Jun Paman’s
Unopposed, John Alvin Guce; and Herminio Esguerra’s He’s
The Man, Lord Santos.
Philracom-Philtobo Mitra Cup Juvenile Filly (1,500
meters): Bienvenido Niles’ La Diva, Val Dilema and
Tempest, John Alvin Guce; Jose Quiros’s Luna Rosa,
Kelvin Abobo; Herminio Esguerra’s Indelible Ink, Jeff
Zarate and Anonymous, John Paolo Guce; and Victor
Martinez’s Twin Turbo, John Cordero.
Three-Year-Old Colt (1,600 meters): Ruben Dimacuha’s
Macho Man, JB Hernandez; Sonny Abella’s Afternoon
Delight, Jem Tinte; Herminio Esguerra’s Enjoy Me, John
Paolo Guce; and Victor Martinez’s Superamerica, Antonio
Alcasid.
Three-Year-Old Filly (1,600 meters): Jun Sevilla’s
Western City, Dominador Borbe Jr.; Herminio Esguerra’s
Landed Visa, Jeffril Zarate; Gonden Wing’s Royal
Academy, Antonio Alcasid Jr.; and Jun Almeda’s Minsk
City, Kelvin Abobo. |
