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THERE
are reports circulating regarding the last-minute
suspension of a major-stakes race that was supposed to
be run on Saturday to the detriment of several horses
which trained hard for that event.
The said
race offers P1 million and was supposedly for the best
two-year-old imports as well as local juveniles. But for
reason yet to be revealed, the race was canceled at the
last minute. The cancellation created a fuss among horse
owners who have trained their juveniles and were about
to register their gallopers for the event.
We have
several sources that were privy to the goings-on at the
Philracom who said the cancellation was brought about by
a high-ranking official’s assertion for the race to be
moved another date. The official was said to have called
for an emergency meeting earlier in the week in order to
convene the board of commissioners and officially cancel
the event.
The
development was carried out after the meeting, although
there were two dissenting votes out of the six sitting
commissioners in the board. The two maverick
commissioners reasoned that the race was calendared long
before and many horse owners have already pointed their
horses for the major P1-million event. Canceling the
event would be detrimental to their horses’
preparations, they added.
But the
other commissioners did not listen to the maverick
commissioners’ call, and instead sided with the
high-ranking Philracom official. Eventually, the horse
owners concerned expressed surprised regarding the
decision which, incidentally, was to have been held a
day before the Philracom-sponsored Juvenile Championship
Race, an event for purely local two-year-olds.
The
cancellation of the event, which has been penciled for
December 29, spawned speculation, which includes the
theory that “sponsors might be accommodating some
big-time stables.” There are reports that several horses
who ran in the Juvenile Championships are also being
groomed to run in the said P1-million race for the
juvenile two-year-olds. But the one-day difference of
the scheduling is not realistic for the local
two-year-olds to join the rich P1-million race.
A
Philracom-sponsored P1-million race was held anyway last
weekend but instead of labeling it the Philracom
Invitational for two-year-old juvenile imports (a
contest where locals can join), it was renamed Philracom
Invitational for Older Horses. This left the aggrieved
owners of imported two-year-old horses wondering whether
there was an “unseen hand” that was “twisting” the arm
of authorities regarding the scheduling of their richly
sponsored races.
Even the
new December 29 date is still in the air, according to
some sources, since the Philracom has not confirmed
details. Meanwhile, all the owners concerned have
already lost hope that their respective horses would
still run true to form since they had already reached
their peak last week. Without the official confirmation
of the event’s date, they could not chart the training
of their respective horses. Is this the way our
officials play with the Philracom’s prize money under
their discretion, several sectors are asking.
ANOTHER
auction galore is in the offing when the Keeneland
January 2008 Sale is held from January 7 to 13 in
Lexington, Kentucky.
There
are a total of 2,547 horses to be offered, 1,201 are
broodmares, 862 are yearlings, 482 are horses of racing
age, and two are stallions. “The January Sale has
developed a very international clientele with strong
support from regional horsemen as well as emerging
market buyers,” said Keeneland director of sales
Geoffrey Russell.
This
year, Keeneland will offer broodmares in-foal to such
leading stallions as AP Indy, Afleet Alex, Distorted
Humor, Elusive Quality, Empire Maker, Forestry, Fusaichi
Pegasus, Giant’s Causeway, Malibu Moon, Mineshaft, Mr.
Greeley, Posse, Smart Strike Speightstown, Storm Cat,
Street Cry (Ire), Successful Appeal, Tale of the Cat,
Unbridled’s Song and Vindication, among others. In 2006,
the January Sale reached a record gross $72,868,200, and
was highlighted by the sale of Grade-One winners Point
Ashley and Downthedustyroad for $1.8 million and $1.5
million, respectively.
Still in
the international scene, the 82nd National Yearling
Sales Series of the Karaka 2008 in
New Zealand
will be held from January 27 to February 4.
The
Karaka yearling sale has been an annual pilgrimage of
many of our local horse owners, and we have reports that
a large group is leaving on the second week of January
to join that event. New Zealand Bloodstock official Greg
Northcott was here last October during the Don Juan
Derby where they sponsored a race. They also promoted a
January sale in New Zealand.
Here are
the schedule of the event for those who are joining:
January 27—Karaka Million Twilight Race meeting and
welcome cocktail party; January 28-29—Premiere Sale;
January 30, 31, and February 1; February 3 and
4—Festival Sales.
Es
Twenty Six, the prized galloper owned by Nery Sunga,
parades as the top choice in the Grand Presidential
Derby this Sunday with a total of P6 million at stake,
the biggest total pot in the history of local racing.
Those
others vying for the P3.6-million top prize are Defiant,
EJ’s Magic, Enjoy Me, Golden Sutter, Henry D’Eight,
Ididitmyway, Legendary, Macedonian, Pearl Buck, Pound
For Pound and Storm Signal. The event will be disputed
over the 2,000-meter distance. |
