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THE
sixth staging of the Don Juan Derby 2007 on Sunday at
the San Lazaro Leisure Park is considered a huge success
by the organizing Klub Don Juan de Manila (KDJM).
The
whole week of racing extravaganza that started on
Tuesday and ended with a bang on Sunday really dazzled
the local racing aficionados no end as exciting races
were seen from start to finish.
“The
organizing Klub Don Juan de Manila is really very happy
with the outcome of the whole week, annual affair that
culminated with the holding of the sixth edition of the
Don Juan Derby. We would like to thank all the
participants and all those who gave us their all-out
support in order to make this event a huge success,”
said the beaming Rudy Pamintuan, the president of the
organization.
Pamintuan also cited his officers and members who put
long hours of dedicated work in order to set up the
whole week of exciting racing at the Carmona racing
facilities. “I would like to commend the officers and
men of the KDJM for a job well done in making this major
project of the organization a success.”
As
expected, another imported galloper snatched this year’s
crown in the highlight Don Juan Derby to make it a grand
slam of sort in this annual affair that gathers all the
best three-year-olds (whether imported or local) in one
such big event.
My
Happiness, a New Zealand-bred filly owned by noted horse
owner-breeder Honorato Neri, simply hounded the
fast-stepping Copper Dew right from the start and made a
searing rally at the far turn to win by more than eight
lengths from her closest pursuers. “Nakatsamba lang
kami. She was a good purchase from the Karaka Sales
in New Zealand several years back. It’s good that
developed into a wonderful filly. I was really amazed
with how she came out with that exciting performance. I
credit the good job to my team who did a perfect
conditioning job for the filly. I would also like to
congratulate the KDJM for such a magnificent event like
this that really elevates the level of racing in the
country. Maraming salamat po!,” Neri said.
The
three-year-old filly by the American stallion Orpen out
of an Australian broodmare Glee Club was clocked a
respected 2:06.8 in hurdling the 2,000-meter distance
race with quarters of 24’-24’-26’-25 ½’-27’ and ran away
with the whopping top prize of P900,000. Not only that,
the name of My Happiness, ridden by jockey John Cordero
and trained by Oyie Velasquez, will now be etched in the
honor roster of Don Juan Derby magnificent champions
that included the inaugural local champion Free Wind in
2002, the imported Midnight Lady in 2003, the local
speedster champ Don Paolo in 2004, the imported Wild
Orchid in 2005 and another imported Big Deb last year.
So
dominating was My Happiness’s performance that she
crossed the line more than eight lengths ahead of the
eventual second placer Traditional of Don Antonio
Floirendo who took home the runner-up prize of P337,500,
while pacesetter Copper Dew of Jose Mari Franco wound up
third for P187,500. Fourth placer Defiant, one of the
two local gallopers in the lineup of 10 official
participants (the other one was Ididitmyway) of Hermie
Esguerra checked in fourth and salvaged P75,000.
All the
other six finishers did not go home empty-handed as they
were given a finisher’s bonus of P12,500 each. They were
Mercurio fifth, Irene’s Fantasy (the top favorite in the
sales) sixth, Deputy Stravinsky seventh, Ididitmyway
eighth, Beautiful Pet ninth and No Fear 10th and last.
Three
other major stakes races were disputed last Sunday
during the staging of the Derby and they were the Don
Antonio Floirendo Golden Girls Stakes, the KDJM Juvenile
Colts and the KDJM Juvenile Fillies.
Second
choice Hittheroadjack (by American stallion Hold That
Tiger out of an American broodmare Triple Mach) flashed
out a wire-to-wire performance in winning the Juvenile
Colts Championship. Owner Junjun Molina took home the
top prize of P300,000, while runner-up Unopposed pick up
P112,500 for the effort.
Top
choice Bohemian Dave finished third for P62,500 while
fourth placer Santo Santito bagged P25,000.
Earlier,
Indelible Ink (an island-born filly by Best Of Luck out
of Seaquin) simply jogged her way to victory in the
Juvenile Fillies Championship and went home P300,000
richer in the event sponsored by the Philippine Racing
Commission. Runnerup Pali picked up P112,500 while third
and fourth placers Anonymous and Weder Weder Lang
received P62,500 and P25,000,respectively.
Meanwhile, Wild Orchid made mincemeat of her rivals to
make it two-in-a-row in the Don Antonio Floirendo Sr.
Golden Girls Stakes. The five-year-old bay mare by High
Yield out of Dove Orchid also fashioned out a
wire-to-wire victory in winning the top prize of
P300,000. La Tienne checked in second for P112,500 while
Fairy Queen and Great Emma placed third and fourth for
P62,500 and P25,000, respectively.
Those
who graced the awarding ceremonies in the various major
stakes races, aside from the KDJM president Rudy
Pamintuan were Boy Eleazar, VG Martinez, immediate past
president Sonny Arevalo, Dodo Atienza (who celebrated
his birthday that day), Atty. Alex Carandang, Jun Almeda,
Manila councilor Che Borromeo, Kit Pamintuan, Robert
Francisco, and Honorato Neri. Newly designated Philracom
commissioner Gerry Espina also graced the occasion while
MJCI officials present included chairman and president
Atty. Alfonso Reyno Jr., chief operating officer Atty.
King Reyno, and director Martin Cepeda. |
