Stravinsky rules big Juvenile race

MANILA, Philippines - In a performance that showed he could be a good contender in the next Triple Crown series, second favorite Stravinsky handily beat two others to capture the Philracom Juvenile Colts stakes race last Sunday at the Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite.

Handled by regular partner Jonathan Hernandez, Stravinsky engaged top choice Batang Lapaz in a one-on-one duel for almost 900 meters before pulling away in the final quarter of the 1300-meter event to clinch his second big win as a two-year-old.

The chestnut bay colt by Dream Romance out of Ultimate Goal debuted in grand style in July, winning a rich Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Maiden stakes race in July only to bomb out as outstanding favorite in his next big stakes race a few weeks later.

“Yes, the horse (Stravinsky) is back in shape. Hopefully, he stays healthy. He’ll be running (in the 2017 Triple Crown),” said owner businessman Narciso Morales, the runaway leader in number of wins and money winnings 11 months into the horse racing season.

Stravinsky clocked a respectable time of 1 minute, 20.2 seconds, with clips of 7-1/2, 22, 23-1/2 and 27 seconds as he finished some 10 lengths in front of the Jeff Zarate-ridden Changes and 12 ahead of the Jesse Guce-handled  Batang Lapaz.

For more than two quarters, Stravinsky and Batang Lapaz figured in a neck-and-neck duel that started once they got out of the starting gate.

But Stravinsky proved he was made of sterner stuff, slowly but steadily pulling away from Batang Lapaz .