Showing the grace, the strength and the heart of a true champion, West Bound moved toward that direction yesterday by claiming his second Triple Crown jewel this year — the J.V. Ongpin Cup — before a highly-satisfied crowd at the San Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.
The three-year-old colt owned by C & H Enterprise proved too hot to handle for the seven other contenders, leaving Security Master as the only threat, minor as it was, in his bid to become the newest Triple Crown champion in local history.
West Bound, of Heza Gone West and Fair Maide, won with plenty to spare, beating Security Master by six lengths and covering the 1,900-meter race in 2:01.5. He had quartertimes of 16’-26-25’-26-26’.
West Bound’s victory with jockey Joel Zarate was worth P1million. Security Master, for second, took P376,750 followed by Speed Machine (P209,250) and Iverson (P84,000). Fifth was High Octane, followed by Success Story and Galapagos. — Ramon Romualdez