Only sent off as the third favorite, Jessie de la Cruz’ Badboy MJ wowed the crowd that gathered at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas last Sunday in the P1.5-million 2023 Philracom 3YO Sprint.

As the gates opened, a slugfest ensued between second pick Sandigan and Borrowed Heaven in the first 600m logging clips of 13-21′, while the DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos-bred and Boyet Guerra-trained Badboy MJ simply watched and waited for the opportune time to make a move. And that came at the final quarter mile.

As the pace took its toll on the two up front, jockey Peter John “Patar” Guce egged on his mount at this juncture, made his move and took the lead never to look back registering a final quarter of 24′ for an impressive total time of 59 seconds flat for the 1000m.

John Bradd’s Sandigan managed to salvage a second place finish while Light Bearer of Mark Vincent Geron and Boat Buying of Running Rich Racing came in third and fourth, respectively.

Guce in a post-race interview humbly stated, “I just followed my instructions and waited for the right time to go for the lead and thankfully enough the efforts of our whole team paid off.”

“I would like to congratulate the connections of the winner and placers of today’s 2023 Philracom 3YO Sprint. More exciting races are coming the way of the bayang karerista as this month of August has action-packed weekends,” Philracom Chair Reli de Leon said.