Pride of Laguna and jockey JD Juco controlled the race from the middle point all the way to the finish to win the 2018 Philippine Racing Commission’s 3YO Open Challenge Race second leg recently at the Saddle & Clubs Leisure Park Racetrack in Naic, Cavite.
Pride of Laguna, considered as one of the top three-year-old horses in the country today, received P900,000 for the victory, including awards for its team, all sponsored by Philracom.
Viva Morena, ridden by jockey Dan Camanero and owned by Bienvenido Pierre M. Niles III, placed second, with Bingson Tecson’s Certain to Win (jockey JP Guce) finishing third in the stakes race offering a guaranteed total purse of P1.5 million.
In the mainer, Hitting Spree delivered an emphatic five-length victory in keeping her Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr. Cup crown.
Hitting Spree took home P1.2 million, while Tin Drum settled for the runner-up purse of P450,000, with Pangalusian Island (jockey JP Guce, owner Wilbert Tan) taking third spot and the P250,000 cash prize and Und Kantar (RO Niu Jr., Melanie Habla) landing fourth and the P100,000 prize.
Other winners for the day were Fire Dancer in the Uratex Foam Special Trophy Race; Huckleberry in the 2YO Juvenile Colts and Fillies; Niccole Girl in the Bingson Tecson Special Trophy Race; Ava’s Dream in the 3YO Colt and Filly Mile; Water Mania in the PAGCOR Special Trophy; Lakan in the 23rd MARHO’s Breeder’s Championship; I Love Jane in the SC Stockfarm Inc. Special Trophy; Wessfacckol in the Shelltex Bed Special Trophy Race; Salt and Pepper in the 23rd MARHO’s Breeder’s Championship and Smash Consolidator in the Esicor Incorporated Special Trophy.
Meanwhile, several prominent stakes races are still coming in the final two months of the racing season, namely the 3rd Legs of the Juvenile Fillies Stakes Race and Juvenile Colts Stakes Race on Nov. 18, the Grand Sprint Championship on Dec. 2, the Chairman’s Cup, Philtobo Racing Event and the 2nd Leg of the 3YO Open Challenge Series on Dec. 16 and the Juvenile Championship, KDJM Racing Event, and the 3rd leg of the 3YO Open Challenge Series on Dec. 31.