H Bato gallops to new mark

MANILA, Philippines - This year’s Triple Crown champion, Hagdang Bato, set a record in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office National Grand Derby held during the fourth Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing (RDB) Memorial Cup at the Philippine Racing Club’s Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite.

Hagdang Bato was sent off as the outstanding favorite in the mile PCSO National Grand Derby. He took the lead early on, with High Voltage running off the pace, and the others barely in contention. He pulled away decisively at the far turn and won by six lengths, with the reins still double-wrapped around the hands of jockey Jonathan Hernandez.

Stablemate Barkley came in second, a 1-2 finish in prize money for owner Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos. Darleb came in third, Purple Ribbon fourth. (In the betting it was 3-2-6-1, with Yes Yes Yes as fourth).

Hagdang Bato, trained by Ruben Tupas, clocked splits of 25’-23’-23’-25 for a total 1:37.8, breaking the record of 1:38 for the mile set in 2007 by island-born Copper Dew, owned by the late Jose Mari Franco.

Trainer Tupas scored again in the Philippine Racing Commission-RDB Cup Division II, won by Antonio Tan’s Pugad Lawin with Jeffril Zarate on top.

The Philracom-RDB Cup Division I race went to Kenneth Causon’s Humble Riches and trained by Ruben Clor. Both were 1,700-meter races.