Storm Bell blazes to victory in Philracom race

MANILA, Philippines — Storm Bell whipped up a storm in the first leg of the Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Juvenile Fillies and Colts Stakes Race at the Saddle and Club Leisure Park, Naic, Cavite, where he left his rivals scrambling in his dust recently.

With multi-titled jockey JB Hernandez riding the two-year-old colt, Storm Bell made its move halfway through the short 1,200-meter distance and never let go of the lead to win pulling away with a winning time of 1:12.

Morning Girl of owner Rene Viloria burst out of the gate holding the lead, closely followed by Raymund Puyat’s Valley Cat and Storm Bell, which swiftly made its move and grabbed the lead in the 600 meters, increasing it as they  blazed to the finish for a three-length victory in the P1-million stakes race put up by Philracom.

The win was worth P600,000 for Storm Bell owner Bell Racing Stable, with Donato Sordan taking the Breeder’s Purse of P30,000. 

Valley Cat, ridden by OP Cortez, settled for the runner-up purse of P225,000, while the Robert Ramirez-owned Inter State, with jockey RG Fernandez on the reins, bagged the third-place prize of P125,000. 

Fourth placer Morning Girl, steered by Jockey RO Niu Jr., pocketed P50,000.

The Philracom’s Juvenile Fillies and Colts Stakes Race features the country’s best two-year-old horses in their biggest competition yet.

Other winners of the heavy 12-race Philippine Racing Club Inc. schedule were Flintridge (Race 2), Ingd Kantar (Race 3), Pabulong (Race 4), Sin Duda (Race 5), Skymarshal (Race 6), Lollipop (Race 7), Kapangyarihan (Race 8), Sikat (Race 9), Expensive (Race 10), Conqueror (Race 11) and Runzaprun (Race 12).

Meanwhile, the Philracom holds the 2018 Lakambini Stakes Race tomorrow at the Manila Jockey Club’s San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

Open to locally born 3-year-old fillies that have already participated in a race, the stakes race offers a guaranteed purse of P1,500,000, with P900,000 going to the champion. Second to fourth placers receive P337,500, P187,500 and P75,000, respectively, with P60,000 being awarded to the breeder of the winning horse.