Masterful win by Obra Maestra in Juvenile race

MANILA, Philippines — Obra Maestra delivered another masterpiece, this time on a rainy New Year’s Eve as she pulled off an emphatic victory in the 1,60-meter 2018 Juvenile Championships at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite.

The Sandy Javier Jr.-owned two-year-old filly measured the mettle of the heavy 12-horse field in the early goings, before going full throttle in the final 400 meters to score the eight-length win, its third stakes triumph for the year.

“It was a  wait and see at at the start until the homestretch, when we made the move in the last 400 meters,” said jockey JB Guce.

With the win, Guce declared his horse’s readiness for the bigger races ahead, including the 2019 Triple Crown.

Obra Maestra, which was also coming off a dominant victory in the P2-million 2018 Philracom Juvenile Fillies Stakes only last month, gifted her owner the top purse of P1.5 million from the guaranteed total pot of P2.5 million put up by the racing commission. Javier also took the P75,000 prize as breeder of the winning horse.

Javier and his wife Karen personally received the Juvenile Championship trophy from Philracom commissioner Victor Tantoco and Phl Racing Club Inc. racing manager Antonio Alcasid. Richard Tupas received the trainer’s award on behalf of his father Ruben.

Full of Grace (jockey MA Alvarez, owner Alfredo Santos) took the runner-up purse of P52,500, while My Jopay (CP Henson, Moises Villasenor) received P312,500. Lady Mischief (KB Abobo, SC Stockfarm) placed fourth worth P125,000.

Other winners were Azap (Race 1), Misha (Race 2), Aim Thirty One (Race 3), Yosemite (Race 4), War Dancer (Race 5), Always On Time (Race 7), Hail Storm (Race 8), Universe (Race 9), Beautiful Star (Race 10), Nostradamus (Race 11) and Native American (Race 12).

Philracom races are being held in accordance with the Philracom’s Rating-Based Handicapping System, which is a result of the commission’s affiliation with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.?