Big racing festival up at San Lazaro

More than P1.7 million in prizes will be at stake as the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom), in cooperation with the Manila Jockey Club, Inc. (MJCI) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), marks its 16th foundation with a grand Anniversary Racing Festival at San Lazaro today.

The first major horse racing event of the year, which also marks the start of Philracom's P18 million stakes program, includes five stakes races and 10 other MJCI-PHILRACOM Anniversary Special races offering top prizes.

Philracom chairman Benedicto Katigbak said that the racing body and the MJCI management have ensured that today's celebration will be a big success in the tradition of the Gran Copa de Manila.

"This event signals the start of bigger and better things for local horse racing industry and an opportunity for the various sectors to get together in one grand celebration to showcase the best that the industry could offer this new millennium," Katigbak said.

The PCSO Sweepstakes race kicks off the day-long extravaganza, which also features the Philracom Three-Year-Old Championship Handicap for Triple Crown aspirants and the annual Philracom Anniversary Cup for the best horses in the open handicap.

Five gallopers head the field in the P270,000 Sweepstakes race sponsored by the PCSO. They are Sweet Lover, Shower of Stars, Project Genesis, Real Classic and Kingair.

Rosa Morena and Bound to Be, two of the best chargers in the local turf today, banner the eight-horse field in the Three-Year-Olds Championship set over 1500 meters.

1999 Presidential Gold Cup winner and Horse of the Year Hobby leads the cast in the Philracom Anniversary Cup, which includes Streets of Gold, Power Drive and Gold Edition.

The Philracom will also stage the annual Chairman's Cup and the Commissioner's Cup held in honor of past chairman Nicanor Jacinto III and commissioner Rogerio Gonzalez.

"The Philracom board has unanimously decided to recognize the valuable contribution of both chairman Jacinto and commissioner Gonzalez, who were in the forefront of the industry in the late 80s and 90s," Katigbak said.