Pasay City Representative Tony Calixto (fourth from left) and his son Councilor Mark Calixto (left) pose with the winning connection of Open Billing which bagged the 11th Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Grand Cup last Sunday at the MetroTurf in Malvar-Tanauan, Batangas.
Pasay Racing Festival a big success
The 11th running of the Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Racing Festival held last Sunday at the MetroTurf Racing Complex in Malvar-Tanauan, Batangas was an outstanding success as two major records in sales were established.
The keenly-awaited event held in conjunction with the Pasay City founding anniversary recorded an astounding one-day record high of P50,835,742 sales while the all-time high in 2-day total sales of PP79,793,558 was posted.
These blockbuster figures are unprecedented in the local racing industry that is slowly coming back to life after the debilitating Covid pandemic.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa lahat ng sumuporta sa aming pantaunang pakarera na talaga namang tinangkilik ng buong industriya ng karera. Binabati rin natin ang mga nagsipanalo ngayong taon at makakaasa po kayo na patuloy pa nating isusulong ang Pasay Racing Festival sa mga susunod pang mga taon,” said Pasay City Rep. Tony Calixto, the proponent of the annual racing event together with then MetroTurf chairman and president Dr. Norberto Quisumbing Jr.
The event was supported by SM Development Corporation, Newport World Resorts, PCSO, DoubleDragon Properties, Pagcor, Boysen Paint, Willy Keh, Davies Paint, and HyperTech Wires & Cables.
Rep. Calixto, who was also with his son and Pasay councilor Mark Calixto, led the awarding of trophies in the highlight 11th Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Grand Cup won by Open Billing and ridden by jockey Pati Dilema, who made a golden double that day when he guided Batang Manda to a wire-to-wire victory in the blue-ribbon 2024 Presidential Gold Cup.
Owned by Benhur Abalos Jr. and trained by Claudio Angeles, Open Billing (Ultimate Goal/Posse Left) beat the veteran Magtotobetsky to win the P600,000 top prize in the 1,800-meter race. The runnerup picks up P225,000. Black Star checked in third for P125,000 while Wild Is The Wind was fourth for P50,000. Earli Boating was fifth while Mimbalot Falls was scratched before the race.
Meanwhile, Worshipful Master lorded it over five other entries to bag the P1-million 11th Pasay City Representative Tony Calixto Cup. He beat Bill Jordan to bag the top prize of another P600,000. The runnerup settled for P225,000 while third placer Diamond Heart got P125,000 and fourth placer Authentikation received P50,000. Other finishers in the 1,600-meter race were King James and Every Sweat Counts.
On the other hand, heavy favorite Mando Dura, owned by Dennis Tan and ridden by Kelvin Abobo, prevailed in the 11th Mayour Emi Calixto-Rubiano Cup to receive the P300,000 top prize. Midnight Cat came in second for P112,500, Speed Fantasy was third for P62,500, while Darleb was fourth for P25,000.
In the 10th Former Pasay Mayor Duay Calixto Memorial Cup, Sunset Beauty was the winner receving the top prize of P240,000. Orient Express was second for P90,000, Sabel was third for P50,000, while Exalted checked in fourth for P20,000.
In the seven other Trophy Races with guaranteed prize of P300,000 disputed, Light Bearer won the SMDC Trophy Races, Queen Margaux bagged the Newport World Resorts Trophy Race, Tool Of Choice topped the PCSO Trophy Race, Red Sole won the DoubleDragon Properties Trophy Race, Majestic Star prevailed in the Pasay Sponsors Race, and Celebrity topped the Councilor Mark Calixto Trophy Race.
Trainer and former star-jockey Jesse Guce and jockey Mark Alvarez won a 42-inch TV set each in the raffle among the winning trainers and jockeys that day while all the winning groom received a P3,000 cash bonus each.
