Fifth choice High Roller stole the thunder from his more favored rivals by topping the 2024 Philracom Road to the Triple Crown on Sunday, March 10, at the Metro Manila Turf Club.
The Minsk out of Lucky Nine bay had to snake through traffic before bursting into electrifying speed in the last 200m of the mile distance.
Guided masterfully by jockey Pablito Cabalejo, the three-year-old overtook top choice Ghost and The Kiss and prevailed by a mere half a head.
The Kiss (Top Billing-Mary Todd) finished second with Ghost (He’s Had Enough-Smooth Charm) crossing the wire third and Added Haha (Brigand-Added Value) salvaging fourth.
The victory worth P600,000 installed High Roller as a valid contender when the 2024 Philracom Triple Crown Series rolls along in the next couple of months.
Time of the race was 1:42.6 with clips of 25′-24′-24-28′.
In the Siete de Marso Special Invitational Race co-sponsored by noted horseman and Hall of Fame inductee Herminio “Hermie” Esguerra with the Philracom, longest shot Feet Bell made a charge for the win in the final stretch and outduelled Mahusayay and Carmela’s Love to bag the victory.
Coming off an impressive run in his last outing, the Bell Racing Stable bay three-year-old by Lemon Drop Title out of Footsteps trained by Wally Manalo and under the guidance of journeyman Mark Angelo Alvarez levelled up with about 100 meters left in the race after just keeping in step in third through most of the 1400m journey.
The clock stopped at 1:27.6 with quarters of 13′-23′-24-27′ for the distance.
