ALL roads lead to the San Lazaro Leisure Park (SLLP) in Carmona, Cavite on Sunday as 10 of the country’s most accomplished throughout vie for the prestigious PCSO Presidential Gold Cup, local racing’s most prestigious classic event held annually in honor of the President.
President Arroyo has been invited to award the Presidential Gold Cup to the winner.
The top contenders for the 2,000-meter classic include returning champions Empire King (2004) and Red Star Rising (2003), as well as, crowd favorites Cover Girl, Real Spicy, Euro Bucks and Speed Advantage in what promises to be a battle for the ages.
Also in the hunt for the premier spot of local racing’s "holy grail’’ and noted snakes winners Cat’s Gold Don Paolo, Last Hazm and Cool Runnings.
At stake in the country’s richest horse race is no less than
R2.5-million in prizes, with the winner guaranteed to take home R1.5 million in top money and a replica of the coveted Presidential Gold Cup.
"The Manila Jockey Club (MJC) is proud to host the 33
rd running of the PCSO Presidential Gold Cup. I wish to congratulate the PCSO for its consistent and abiding support of the local racing industry. I would like to extend my invitation to all racing fans, local and foreign tourists to come to the "racing open house’’ at the SLLP or go to an OTB near you and watch the most prestigious horse race unfold,’’ according to MJC Chairman & CEO Alfonso R. Reyno, Jr.
Following the thrilling victory of cover Girl over Don Paolo and Empire King in the recent MARHO Breeders’ Cup Classic, coupled with the stirring victories of Real Spicy, Speed Advantage, Euro Backs and Cat’s Gold in recent top money events, it may be safe to say that the battle for this year’s coveted Presidential Gold Cup would be a wide-open contest.
Previous cup champions Red Star Rising and Empire King are both eyeing a Gold Cup double, a feat, previously achieved by track greats Fair & Square, Sun Dancer, Bulldozer and Wind Blown. Both will nonetheless be saddled with an additional 3-kilogram handicap weight as previous win penalty.
The complete line-up of Presidential Gold Cup starters (with their respective jockeys) include Cool Runnings (CV Gargantua), Red Star rising (VR Dilema), Euro Bucks (JB Guce), Real Spicy (AB Alcasid, Jr.), Cat’s Gold (MF Daquis), Speed Advantage (FM Raquel, Jr.), Empire King (JB Cordero), Cover Girl (JB Hernandez), Don Paolo (PR Dilema) and Las Hazm (JC Guce).
