Tap Dance tops Philracom race

MANILA, Philippines – Tap Dance lived up to its high billing, overpowering three others to win the Philracom 4-Year-Old stakes race under veteran Jonathan Hernandez last Sunday at the Santa Ana Park in Imus, Cavite.

Bought recently by sportsman-businessman Narciso Morales from Sandy Javier, Tap Dance seized the lead from Penrith at the far turn and steadily pulled away as he captured the second biggest race disputed in the young season.

The son of imported sire Cowboy out of Faster Rapper, Tap Dance clocked one minute and 18.4 seconds in the short 1300-meter race and finished some five lengths ahead of the Fernando Racquel-ridden Manalig Ka.

Hot and Spicy, handled by Rodeo Fernandez, and Penrith, ridden by Mark Alvarez, came in third and fourth, respectively, in the race that saw Tap Dance take off as top favorite with sales of P300,000-plus in the popular daily double betting.

The victory was worth P300,000 for Morales, who took off from where he left off in the 2015 season by posting 22 wins last month to seize the early lead in money winnings among horseowners.

“A good horse. As long as he stays healthy, I’m confident Tap Dance is going to win more races,” said Morales, whose stable includes prominent runners Spectrum, Hot Dog and Dikoridik Koridak.

Right from the get-go, Tap Dance stayed right behind the fast-starting Penrith and effortlessly seized the upperhand as the two horses were about to enter the far turn.

In a season to remember, Morales, named as the Most Reputable Horseowner awardee by the Philracom in 2014, posted close to 200 wins last year to emerge as No. 1 in victories and earnings for the second time in the last four years.