Manila Jockey Club hosts Japan Cup today

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Jockey Club Inc., in cooperation with the Philippine Racing Commission, is hosting the Japan Cup Races today at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park in Carmona, Cavite.

Formerly known as the JRA (Japan Racing Association) Cup, which has been going on for more than a decade, the prestigious event features the local and imported divisions offering a total of P1 million in prizes.

The Philracom Japan Cup local race will pit Lollipop (jockey MA Alvarez), Mam Candy (KB Abobo), Manda (JB Hernandez), Morning Breeze (JT Zarate), Sky Hook (JB Cordova), Summer Romance (Val R Dilema) and Temecula (JB Guce) with the champion getting  P300,000 and runner-up P112,500, third P62,500 and fourth P25,000, respectively, with P15,000 to the breeder of the winning horse.

The Imported division will have Anaffairtoremember (jockey Val R. Dilema), Ava Natalia (JB Guce), Mystic Award (JD Juco), Naughty Girl (JB Hernandez), Thomasina (JB Cordova) and War Dancer (RO Niu Jr.). The winners receive the same amount as the local category.

“The MJCI is privileged to host the Japan Cup Races, which have been steeped in tradition considering that it has been in existence for a decade,” said MJCI racing manager Jose Ding Magboo.

The Japan Cup is a reciprocal arrangement between the Philracom and the Japan Racing Association, which hosts the Annual Philippine Trophy Race.

The JRA will be represented by Hiroyuki Koezuka of the JRA Hong Kong Office.