Melaine Habla’s Istulen Ola lived up to its billing as the top favorite after mowing down the opposition in the P1-million Philracom 2YO Maiden Stakes at the Metroturf track over the weekend in Malvar, Batangas.
The bay colt, one of the largest to come out this year at 474 kgs., immediately put unrelenting pressure on pacesetters Alalum Falls and Sylvia Plath, and jockey John Paul Guce eventually decided enough was enough.
After doing most of the stalking, the AC Sordon Jr. — trained galloper then zoomed past Sylvia Plath to establish a three-length lead.
At the wire Istulen Ola was well ahead (four lengths) of Sonic Clay which took second with Orange Bell in tow for third while Stealing Heaven mustered enough to take fourth, Bandido grabbing fifth place and Cole Is A Roll coming in sixth.
Total time of the race 1:25.2 with clips of 13-21’-23-28 for the 1400-meter journey.
The winning connections earned P600,000 for the victory. The rest of the prize money distribution was P200,000 for second, P100,000 for third, P50,000 for fourth, P30,000 for fifth and P20,000 for sixth.
Philracom Chairman Reli de Leon who was on hand to award the winners’ trophies was equally ecstatic as the winners.
“Congratulations to the winners. And to the bayang karerista, this is a preview of the level of competition in the coming Juvenile Stakes Series and a peek at possible Triple Crown contenders for next year.”