Wind Blown, M Lady, Don Paolo top picks

Champion local galloper Wind Blown, streaking import Midnight Lady and classy juvenile Don Paolo head the star-studded field competing in the highly-awaited fourth running of the Philtobo-Mitra Cup Championships on Nov. 9 at the Santa Ana Park.

Fresh from winning his comeback race, Wind Blown struts his wares anew in the Classic which drew five other veteran campaigners, among them last year’s Presidential Gold Cup winner Free Wind and 2001 Triple Crown titlist Silver Story.

Midnight Lady, currently on a two-race winning run, is seeing action in the Tanduay Open Imports where here stablemate, Absolute Charmer, is also listed.

Don Paolo, on the other hand, leads the 2-Year-Old Colts cast that attracted nine other promising juveniles.

Bienvenido "Nonoy" Niles Jr., president of the organizing Philippine Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Organization (Philtobo), said the Classic, Imports and 2YO contests are three of the six major events set to be contested aside from the Unilever, John Felix and Klub Don Juan races on Nov. 9, climax of the prize-rich racing festival that will fire off on Nov. 4.

Also to be disputed in the racefest backed by the Philippine Racing Commission, Philippine Racing Club, Tanduay, PCSO, Unilever Phils. and Disconnect Trading, are the 3-Year-Old Colts, 3-Year-Old Fillies and 2-Year-Old Fillies. Each featured race carries a total pot of P500,000.

Horseman’s Cup winner Success Story is entered in the 3YO Colts where High Octane and Security Master loom as the top challengers. The 3YO Fillies field will be headed by Tatler Cover, Roadshow and Strong Lady, while recent Floirendo Cup first placer Concorde and another rising juvenile, Cat’s Jewel, are among the 2YO Fillies contenders.

Philtobo vice president Francisco "Koko" Cayco said the drawing of post positions will be held starting at noon tomorrow at the Ahoy There Restaurant along Timog Avenue in Quezon City.