Silver Story makes golden finish anew

It’s the same old story.

Without a worthy rival to contend with and with over a million-peso wager on his name, Silver Story re-staked his claim to greatness among the two-year-old colts as he dominated the SMB-MARHO Juvenile Championship of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Ana Park.

It was Silver Story’s fifth straight victory in such kind of a championship, further underscoring his mastery of the group that had seemed to dwindle each staging of the event with yesterday’s field reduced to a three-horse affair after Bishop King was scratched.

But Bishop King’s presence wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because the way Silver Story ran the race, no two-year-old colt could perhaps come close to challenge him at this stage of his career.

El Duque tried, and failed miserably.

Trying to shake off Silver Story, El Duque stormed in front early, held the prized Patrick Uy horse at bay up to the far turn where they raced neck-and-neck. Then Silver Story started to inch ahead, first by a head, then by a neck before leaving past his fading rival to post another runaway victory.

Five, six, seven lengths. By the time Silver Story hit the wire, the clock read: 1:43, more than three seconds slower than Real Top’s best time of 1:39.6 over one-mile, also at Sta. Ana, but a time Silver Story could’ve improved had jockey Jonathan Hernandez made the most out of his mount over the 1,600-meter event.

"Meron pa. Baka makaulit pa dahil wala pang magaling na lumalabas sa mga 2-year-olds," said Hernandez, who had guided the colt by Conquistarose out of Far North-Northern Edge to all but one victory in his last seven races, including a sweep of the Juvenile Colt Championships at both tracks.

Truly, there was no need for Hernandez to urge Silver Story. All he had to do was hung in there and let his mount ran the way he wanted.

All Smiles took second place and El Duque wound up third in the event sponsored by San Miguel Beer and organized by the Metropolitan Asso-ciation of Race-Horse Owners (MARHO).

The victory, worth P600,000, hiked Silver Story’s earnings to P2.8 million in seven months.

Wind Blown likewise proved he’s a cut above the rest among the three-year-old colts as the massive-built galloper ruled his own side of the event, beating High Roller, Phenomenal and The Fox, also in one minute and 43 seconds.

And Real Top, one of the finest gallopers ever to grace the local horseracing scene, made his farewell run yesterday with regular partner Jesus Guce, Jr. performing the emotional ride over the very track where he debuted as a novato winner on April 26, 1997.

Late in the day, Gold Edition pulled off another golden run in the lung-busting 2,050-meter Classic, the centerpiece event of the SMB-MARHO Breeders’ Cup, outclassing Misty Rose and last year’s champion Streets of Gold.