Rain Man rallied mightily in the final 600 meters and won the Philracom 3-Year-Old Maiden Stakes by a head held recently at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas.
Opting to stay in the middle early on, the favorite allowed Dr. Rap and Sir William to control the show for most of the 1,400-meter journey.
Sending danger as the two entered the far turn, jockey Jeff Zarate applied the whip and Rain Man made his move from six lengths behind.
Tired after engaging Sir William in an early duel, Dr. Rap slowly faded away, giving the former the lead while Rain Man, behind the brilliant driving of Zarate, was closing in very fast, what with his long, flowing strides.
Mustering enough power, the Dance City-Hookkaida then beat out Sir Williams in a mad dash to the finish line to the delight of his backers.
Pharaoh’s King was declared third placer after Ala Savoun was found guilty of infraction.
Rain Man clocked 1:26.2 (13-22-23-28′) and rewarded his connections the top prize of P720,000. Sir William’s runner-up finish was worth P240,000 to his connections.
“The racing public will be expecting more exciting finishes in the major events to come. With the Philracom Classic, the Chairman’ Cup (for older horses) and the Triple Crown series (for three-year olds) coming soon, the bayang karerista should expect slam-bang affairs that will tickle their love for the Sport of Kings,” said Philracom Chairman Aurelio “Reli” de Leon.
