Metro Turf opens door to racing fans

MANILA, Philippines - A day-long racing festival commemorating the “Araw ng Mandaluyong” and two major Philracom Stakes races will highlight the week-long racefest marking the official opening of the Metro Turf, the country’s third and Asia’s newest racing facility, on Feb. 19-24 in Malvar, Batangas.

The week-long races on the world-class tracks will be the final set of weekly racing before the Philippine Racing Commission implements the new “two-day-a-week” racing schedule for the three racetracks in the country.

Metro Turf hosts the Araw ng Mandaluyong Special Cup Races on Feb. 24 while the Philracom will sponsor two major stakes races – the Leo Prieto II Stakes and the Leo Prieto III Stakes.

The Araw Ng Mandaluyong Special Cup Races are the culminating events of the founding of the City of Mandaluyong under Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr., also a top horseowner-breeder.

The Philracom will also put up a total of P1 million pot for its two major sponsorship Stakes races, which are open to all local three-year-old fillies and colts.

Night racing at Metro Turf will start on Feb. 19 up to Feb. 22 while the weekend racing is set Feb. 23-Feb. 24.

Racing fans are expected to troop to the newly constructed racetrack, which is at the boundary of Malvar and Tanauan and an hour trip from Manila.

“I would like to invite all the major players of the industry and all the racing aficionados to visit our place and join us in celebrating the launch of our new racetrack, which is a big boost not only to the racing industry but also the tourism industry here in Batangas and to the whole country as well,” said MetroTurf chairman and president Dr. Norberto Quisumbing Jr.

He also expressed his gratitude to all the people and organizations that supported him in the creation of the newest horseracing events place in the country. “I am very happy to announce that we can now finally welcome you here at the MetroTurf, which is right in the heart of the so-called Kentucky of the Philippines – the great province of Batangas!”

Dr. Quisumbing also said that he is also very thankful to the all-out support extended by Atty. Boy Reyno, chairman of the Manila Jockey Club. “We have here in Metro Turf our own top-quality equipment – from betting to broadcasting. We are now utilizing them with the able support of Manila Jockey Club’s highly-technical people. We would also complement our betting operations since the OTBs of both Metro Turf and MJCI will be opened to the public when races are held respectively in our racetracks. This is a big help to our racing aficionados as it would almost double the betting machines where they can place their bets on.”

The broadcast of the live races at the Metro Turf will be carried officially by Cignal TV and can be viewed in High Definition throughout the country where there is an available service by the said carrier.