ENGR. Jun Sevilla’s Time For Glory, ridden by Mark Alvarez, topped the ninth edition of the annual Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Grand Cup last Sunday at the MetroTurf in Malvar, Batangas.

The team of Time For Glory went home with the top purse of P450,000 for winning the 1,800-meter race and stopping the clock at very respectable time of 1:51.6.

Robin Hood settled for the runner-up prize of P168,750.

Third placer Gusto Mucho and fourth placer Flaterring You pocketed P93,750 and P37,500, respectively.

The other finishers in the centerpiece event of the annual racing festival that coincided with founding anniversary of Pasay City were Magnificent Lady, Kercharmer, King Tiger, Blackburn, Gomper Girl, and Boom Raider, in that order.

The event also posted two significant records as racing fans were treated to a spectacular whole-day of well-balanced and heart-pounding races.

A whopping sales of P25.75 million was posted for the day, the biggest Sunday gross so far this year. Also, not a single bettor won in the three popular winner-take-all schemes for the day, a first in the history of horse racing in the country.

In the 9th Pasay City Rep. Tony Calixto Cup, Basheirrou, piloted by Kelvin Abobo, fashioned out a wire-to-wire victory to bag the top prize of P300,000.

Gomezian checked in second and won P112,500 while Don Julio and Eazacky came in third and fourth and bagged P62,500 and P25,000, respectively.

Last year’s Grand Cup winner Raintree Starlet, ridden by the day’s winningest jockey Jesse Guce who has three victories, dominated the 9th Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano Cup in another wire-to-wire fashion to capture the top prize of P300,000.

Palibhasa Lalake placed second and claimed the P112,500 purse while Speed Fantasy was third for P62,500, and Sudden Impact was fourth for P25,000.

Meantime, Sweet Giselle of Edward Maceda prevailed in the Former Pasay OIC Mayor Duay Calixto Memorial Cup with jockey OP Cortez on board.

The victory was worth P240,000 for the Deve de la Cruz-trained filly which clocked 1.25.6 in the 1,400-meter race.

Swakto Power Duo was second for P90,000 while Player Andri and Gintong Hari checked in third and fourth for P50,000 and P20,000, respectively.

Other finishers included Light Bearer, Sartorial Elegance, Keep Da Track, Yabadabadur, Sonic Clay, Rendevouz, and Alalum Falls, in that order.

In the eight Trophy Races of the day, the winners were: Mommy Zen in the PCSO Trophy; Red Sole in the Pasay Coun. Mark Calixto Trophy; It’s A Deal in the Pasay City Council District I Trophy; Rain Rain Go Away in the Pasay City Council District II Trophy; Piece of Cake in the Pasay City vice mayor Ding del Rosario Trophy; Landslide in the Pasay Engineer’s Office Trophy; Misha in the SMDC Trophy; and Trophy.

It was Righteous Ruby who won in the 2022 Philracom Japan Cup which was worth a whopping P600,000. Wonderland placed second for P225,000 while Dragon Butterfly finished third for P125,000.

All winning owners each received a very elegant silver trophy, considered the best in the industry which many early winners had kept as significant memorabilia.

The two 40-inch TV sets that were raffled off for the winning Trainers and Jockeys were won by trainer Atong Yamco and jockey Kelvin Abobo.

All the winning grooms for the day were given a sack of 25-kilo rice plus a bonus of P2,000 each, courtesy of Pasay Rep. Tony Calixto and Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano.