22nd Gran Copa unfolds

While Wind Blown remains the hands down choice to run away with the Division I crown, a down-to-the-wire finish is expected in the other featured race of today’s 22nd staging of the Gran Copa de Manila at San Lazaro.

Wind Blown, local racing’s undisputed champion galloper, is gunning for his fourth major victory this year and from the looks of things, the massive four-year-old colt of businessman Hermie Esguerra will dominate the 1,900-meter race the way he did in his past romps with no horse from the lean field having the talent and stamina to foil the fancied charger’s bid.

Still, Super Sharp, Gold Edition, Project Genesis and Triple Crown leg winner Materiales Fuertes will try to come up with a surprise in the blue-ribbon event, otherwise known as the Sta. Lucia Realty Cup, offering P360,000 to the winner.

But the same thing could not be expected from the other stakes race, the Philracom Cup, as at least six horses are likely to clash for the top P180,000 purse, including District Three, My Preperido, Hyperbid, Gutmoore, Bull Rider and coupled entries Sparkling Sky and Power Drive.

The staging of the "grand old race," which was first conceived as a special attraction more than a century ago, coincides with the 430th annual celebration of "Araw ng Maynila" – the city’s foundation day.

Sidelined by the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the ill-fated "Gran Copa de Manila" races were only revived in 1980 through the efforts of then Manila Mayor Ramon Bagatsing and the Manila Jockey Club.

Since then, the "Gran Copa de Manila" races have been a significant highlight of the "Araw ng Maynila" celebration. — Ramon Romualdez