Obra Maestra pinapaboran sa 1st leg ng Triple Crown

MANILA, Philippines — Mag-uunahan sa finish line ang walong pinakamahuhusay na thoroughbreds sa pamumuno ng undefeated Obra Maestra sa first leg ng Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom)-backed Triple Crown series sa Linggo sa San Lazaro Leisure Park sa Carmona, Cavite.

Ito ang inihayag ni Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez kasama sina Commissioners Bienvenido Niles Jr. at Dante Lantin sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum noong Martes sa Amelie Hotel sa Malate, Manila.

“The Triple Crown is one of the most prestigious races in our racing calendar,” sabi ni Sanchez. “Only the best horses get to run here.”

Nangunguna sa Triple Crown’s powerhouse cast ang Obra Maestra ni Leonardo Javier Jr. na hinirang na Horse of the Year and Champion 2YO of the Year ng Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners matapos magtakbo ng premyong P3.48 milyon noong 2018.

“Obra Maestra is the favorite, but the seven other horses are capable of delivering a win also mainly because of the rating-based handicapping system the Philracom adopted to even out the playing field,” ani Sanchez sa pagiging miyembro ng komisyon ng International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

Ang Obra Maestra ay bibigyan ng magandang laban ng Boss Emong (jockey JT Zarate, owner Edward Vincent M. Diokno); JAYZ (Ja Guce, SC Stockfarm, Inc.); My Jopay (RD Raquel Jr., Moises B. Villasenor); My Shelltex (JB Hernandez, Antonio V. Tan, Jr.); Real Gold (JP A Guce, C&H Enterprises, Inc.); Toy for the Bigboy (JB Cardova, Alfredo Santos) at Westeros (AR Villegas, Juan Miguel D. Yulo).

“The Triple Crown is patterned after the United States’ Triple Crown, with its three legs comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes, also with progressively longer distances,” sabi ni Niles sa sesyon na inihandog ng San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant at Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

“The first leg is run in 1,600 meters, while the second and third legs are at 1,800 and 2,000 meters, respectively, so a prospective winner must be versatile who can handle all distances,” dagdag pa nito.

Ang huling kabayo na nagwagi ng Triple Crown series ay ang Sepfourteen ng SC Stockfarm noong 2017.