Handicapping rules draw flak from horseowners

MANILA, Philippines - Racehorse owners strongly objected to the new handicapping guidelines from the Philippine Racing Commission, saying they were crafted without proper consultation with their sector. 

On Jan. 9, the “tri-org,” a collective body of the three horseowners’ groups – MARHO (Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners), Philtobo (Philippine Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Organization), and Klub Don Juan de Manila – wrote the commission requesting that class-division handicapping rules for three-year-olds turning four-year-olds on Jan. 2 “be held in abeyance” until after a meeting to discuss the proposed rules.

Philracom responded on Jan. 11, and said that the proposal will be suspended subject to the conference requested to clarify and evaluate such proposal.

However, on Jan. 18, the Philracom sent the tri-org a copy of its Board Resolution No. 02-13 s. 2013 of Jan. 16, setting forth guidelines on the class-division of 4YO horses by 2013.

On Jan. 22, the tri-org wrote Philracom chairman Angel Castaño Jr. through executive director Jesus Cantos, saying they were “surprised” to receive the new guidelines despite the commission’s earlier written assurance that these would not be implemented pending a conference.

“No such conference was held nor were any horseowners consulted,” said the horseowners. “Thus we reject your letter.” 

The letter was signed by the presidents of the three horseowners’ organizations – Eric Tagle (MARHO), Bienvenido Niles Jr. (Philtobo), Antonio Eleazar (Klub Don Juan de Manila), and by 18 other officer/members present at the meeting, among them Rep. Jeci Lapus, former Manila Rep. Ramon Bagatsing Jr., former Bureau of Internal Revenue chief lawyer Sixto Esquivias IV, and businessmen Herminio Esguerra, Antonio de Ubago Jr., Emmanuel Santos, and Nathaniel Velasco.  

The horseowners have long decried the arbitrary nature of the handicapping guidelines which they say “rely too much on human discretion,” and clamor for a definitive rules structure based on “hard facts.”

As the regulatory and supervisory body over the sport of horseracing, Philracom creates and implements handicapping guidelines, which are often changed, creating confusion.

In their letter to Philracom, the horseowners demand that the handicapping system be based on prize earnings and that the handicapping function be transferred from Philracom to the racing clubs (Manila Jockey Club, Philippine Racing Club, and Metro Turf), with all handicapping decisions to “be made in consultation with the horseowners.”