Metro Manila Turf Club, Inc. (MMTCI), operating as MetroTurf, is a

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

institution in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. Located in

Malvar Malvar, officially the Municipality of Malvar (), is a municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,379 people. Etymology The municipality was named after General Miguel Malvar ...

and Tanauan,

Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( ), is a first class province of the Philippines located in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Calabarzon region. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,908,494 people, making ...

, the company was founded in 2013 and is served as an alternate horse racing hub alongside the Manila Jockey Club and the

Philippine Racing Club The Philippine Racing Club, Inc. (PRC) is a horse racing institution in the Philippines. Founded in 1937 as the Santa Ana Turf Club in Makati, it is located at the Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite where the Santa Ana Park racetrack is ...

History

MMTCI began its operation in February 2013 by Dr. Norberto Quisumbing Jr., founder of the Norkis Group of Companies. It was built on a racetrack located at the boundary of Malvar and Tanauan in Batangas. Quisumbing spent PH₱1 billion in constructing the racetrack. In 2021, MMTCI has allegedly collected twice the required 10% tax on horse racing bets, which resulted in an excessive PH₱300 million. More than 60 horse trainers and groomers were signed a petition to the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to suspend MMTCI's operations until the latter has settled unpaid taxes. During the running of the fourth race at Metro Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas on January 10, 2024, 46-year-old jockey Francisco “Kiko” A. Tuazon's (of Barangay 331,

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

) left stirrup of his horse No. 5 named "Wild Eagle" owned by James Rabano suddenly broke, caused him to lose his footing, and fell on the race track at 6:48 p.m from his horse. Tuazon was trampled by his horse and another steed. Suffering from a

concussion A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, difficulty with thinking and concentration, sleep disturbances, a brief ...

, he was taken to Daniel Mercado Medical Center in Tanauan, Batangas, where he was declared dead by Dr. Benjamin Macatangay.

Philippine Racing Commission The Philippine Racing Commission (), abbreviated as Philracom, is a government agency under the Office of the President that functions as the supervisory and regulating body of horse racing in the Philippines. The agency was established on March ...

chairman Aurelio “Reli” P. De Leon Aurelio de Leon paid tribute to the fallen jockey in a statement: "The Commission, along with the entire horse racing community, deeply mourns the untimely passing of jockey Francisco 'Kiko' Tuazon. A revered and cherished figure in the sport, he left an indelible mark on the track and in our hearts." This incident was the first ever major death in the sport in years.

References

{{reflist 2013 establishments in the Philippines Sports organizations established in 2013 Horse racing in the Philippines Horse racing companies Philippine companies established in 2013 Privately held companies of the Philippines