Pasay racing festival posts record sales

THE 11th Pasay “The Travel City” Racing Festival last Sunday set record sales at the MetroTurf Racing Complex in Malvar-Tanauan, Batangas.

The keenly awaited event, held in conjunction with the Pasay City founding anniversary, recorded a one-day record high of P50,835,742 in sales on Sunday.

MetroTurf also set an all-time high in 2-day total sales of P79,793,558 including the Saturday races.

WINNER Open Billing, owned by Benhur Abalos and ridden by veteran Pati Dilema, ruled the 11th Pasay ‘The Travel City’ Grand Cup on Dec. 8, 2024, at the MetroTurf in Batangas. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 

These blockbuster figures are unprecedented in the local racing industry that is slowly coming back to life after the debilitating Covid pandemic.

Pasay City Rep. Tony Calixto, the proponent of the annual racing event together with then MetroTurf chairman and president Dr. Norberto Quisumbing Jr., thanked the people who supported the event and promised to bring more exciting races when the festival returns next year.

This year’s event was supported by SM Development Corp., Newport World Resorts, PCSO, DoubleDragon Properties, Pagcor, Boysen Paint, Willy Keh, Davies Paint, and Hypertech Wire and Cable.

Calixto, who was joined by his son Pasay councilor Mark Calixto at the races last Sunday, led the awarding of trophies in the highlight 11th Pasay “The Travel City” Grand Cup won by Open Billing and ridden by jockey Pati Dilema.

Owned by Benhur Abalos Jr. and trained by Claudio Angeles, Open Billing (Ultimate Goal/Posse Left) beat Magtotobetsky to win the P600,000 top prize in the 1,800-meter race.

Magtotobetsky received the runner-up prize of P225,000.

Black Star placed third for P125,000 while Wild Is The Wind was fourth for P50,000. Earli Boating was fifth while Mimbalot Falls was scratched before the race.

Meanwhile, Worshipful Master lorded it over five other entries to rule the P1-million 11th Pasay City Representative Tony Calixto Cup and bag the top prize of P600,000.

Bill Jordan, the runner-up settled for the P225,000 purse while third placer Diamond Heart received P125,000 and fourth placer Authentikation pocketed P50,000. The other finishers in the 1,600-meter race were King James and Every Sweat Counts.

Heavy favorite Mando Dura, owned by Dennis Tan and ridden by Kelvin Abobo, prevailed in the 11th Mayor Calixto-Rubiano Cup to receive the P300,000 top prize. Midnight Cat came in second for P112,500, Speed Fantasy was third for P62,500, while Darleb was fourth for P25,000.