Underdog Tensile Strength dominates TC third stage

MANILA, Philippines - Unfancied Tensile Strength lived up to her name and ruled the third and final leg of the Triple Crown series, dominating a star-studded field that included the winners of the first two legs before a big Sunday crowd at the Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite.

With veteran Jeffril Zarate on the saddle, Tensile Strength rallied past Hari ng Yambo, winner of the kickoff leg, Constatic and Magna Carta, the top favorite who dominated the second leg last month, at the far turn and galloped home unopposed to deliver the P1.8 million top purse to owner Jun Sevilla.

The three-year-old filly clocked 2 minutes and 06.6 seconds over the long 2,000-m race, finishing some five lengths clear of another underdog The Rock, who charged home to snatch runner-up honors worth P675,000.

Earlier, Ferrarione, another underdog, nipped Barefoot Contessa at the finish to top the Philippine Sportswriters Cup staged over 1,300 meters.

Ferrarione fought from as far back as six lengths to edge Barefoot Contessa by half-a-length and clinch the top prize of P180,000 put up by the sponsoring Philippine Racing Commission.

Second choice Cheesemosa came in third while Barkley and Finest Material ended up fourth and fifth, respectively, in the concluding leg that featured 10 colts and three fillies.

Tensile Strength’s victory marked the 13th time that the series, launched in 1978, produced three different winners.    

Tensile Strength, who sold only a few thousands in the daily double betting despite finishing third in the second leg, made her move at the far turn with Zarate guiding his mount past Hari ng Yambo, Constatic and Magna Carta.

By the time she reached the top of the stretch, Tensile Strength kept increasing her lead as the field failed to keep up with her big strides en route to a runaway victory.

Ferrarione, meanwhile, used the inner rail to mount his rally in the last 400 meters, surprising Barefoot Contessa. Nine Dragon came in third.

The surprise victories of Tensile Strength and Ferrarione also produced no winner in the first set and second sets of the winner-take-all events.