Can vaunted filly Gentle Strength’s staying power see her through to victory in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Freedom Cup mile?
The stakes race backed by the charity agency will be held on Sunday (Feb. 28) at Metroturf in Malvar, Batangas, and also showcases the talents of colts Kanlaon, Biseng Bise, Low Profile, and Messi and Tap Dance (coupled entries).
I’m going with Kanlaon because he placed second to Dixie Gold in the 2015 PCSO Presidential Gold Cup last Dec. 13 at San Lazaro Leisure Park.
Kanlaon beat Low Profile, the 2015 Horse of the Year while both were carrying the same handicap weight of 55 kgs.
The same racecard will also feature the Philippine Racing Commission’s 1,400-meter 4YO and Older Stakes.
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The trial race for the PCSO’s next 3YO maiden race is on Feb. 26 at Santa Ana Park, with declared runners Wolverine, Big Cat Drama, Indianpana, World Famous, Silhouette, My Destiny, Tapped It, Lollipop, and Clear Time. The actual race of 1,400 meters will be held on Mar. 12 at the same track.
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After some recent incidents involving the starting gate, Philracom recently passed Resolution 14-2016 requiring racing clubs to assign at least 25 properly-trained starting gate helpers at every race.
Common practice has at least one starting gate helper for each horse participating in a race. But when horse Xen Young acted hostile in the gate last month after being accidentally hit with the metal end of a halter, and after considering similar incidents in the past, the Commission deemed the new rule necessary.
Some horses, especially juveniles, balk at entering the gate and need more experienced handlers to guide them inside with the use of appliances such as rope, hammocks, or ear clamps.
The presence of more helpers should hasten and ease the loading of horses into the gate and reduce delays in start times.
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Congratulations to the Philippine Sportswriters Association on its recent staging of what has been described as the most successful PSA Night yet! Kudos to PSA president and The Standard Sports Editor Riera Mallari for a great job in honoring the nation’s athletes, and to the other PSA directors and the events management team.
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I was sorry to hear of the demise of People’s Journal racing photographer Bobot Manzano a couple of weeks ago. He was a fixture at the racetrack for decades. You couldn’t miss him—he was tall, lean, and confident, and he dominated the photographers’ pack at every event. I relied on him absolutely for photos to use in the racing magazines I produce annually. Bobot set the standard for photography in the sport. He will be missed.
I was also saddened by the recent deaths of racecaller Romy Cheng Tejada with whom I worked when I was on the broadcast panel of Santa Ana Park years ago, and of Manila Jockey Club assistant racing manager Benjie Reverente, whose father was also an MJC racing official back in the day.
Friends gone too soon: the lesson is to treasure them because you’ll never know how long they’ll be around.
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