Manila Jockey Club
A historic Philippine horse-racing institution that later shifted its emphasis toward real estate and property leasing.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Manila Jockey Club is a historic Philippine sporting institution and corporate organization associated principally with horse racing. Established in Manila in 1867 by Governor-General José de la Gándara y Navarro together with roughly 100 members of Spanish, American, and Filipino families, it is regarded as one of the oldest racing clubs in the Asia-Pacific region. Its earliest activities were largely recreational: the club organized informal annual races, including a route between San Sebastian Church and Quiapo Church, without betting. During the 1880s, the club moved from Quiapo to a rural area of Santa Mesa along the Pasig River. It developed an oval course and a simple nipa-and-bamboo grandstand, and began holding organized racing meets. The club’s activities were interrupted in the late nineteenth century by political upheaval surrounding the end of Spanish colonial rule. A planned Gran Copa de Manila in 1897 was cancelled amid the Battle of Manila Bay, and the organization temporarily closed before reopening in 1899. In 1900, Manila Jockey Club relocated to San Lazaro in Santa Cruz, Manila, occupying a 16-hectare property leased from the Monasterio de Santa Clara. The introduction of betting in 1903 broadened the sport’s audience beyond the wealthy. Race proceeds were used both to improve the club’s facilities and to support charitable organizations. The club later acquired the San Lazaro property in 1912 and constructed a new grandstand and a six-furlong turf track. The organization was incorporated in 1937 as Manila Jockey Club, Inc. The San Lazaro facilities were heavily disrupted during the Second World War. Japanese forces used the buildings as barracks in 1943, while American forces occupied the site after the 1945 Battle of Manila, subsequently using it as a hospital. Club members recovered control in March 1946, and reconstruction allowed the San Lazaro Hippodrome to resume operations within approximately two months. In a later phase, the club moved its racing operations from San Lazaro to San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. Besides horse racing, it had historical involvement in football and maintained a football team in the early twentieth century. It also worked with the Philippine Football Federation on the establishment of a National Training Center within San Lazaro Leisure Park. In August 2022, after 155 years of racing activity under the Manila Jockey Club name, the club announced the closure of its own horse-racing operations at San Lazaro Leisure Park. The last races under its banners took place in October 2022. The organization stated that it would concentrate on real-estate ventures while leasing existing facilities. Its Carmona racing properties were leased to The Horsemen’s Track of Hapi Jockey Club Inc. The available reference material does not establish the club’s complete current corporate structure, ownership, website, executive roster, or whether it continues to operate as an active racing brand.
History
Manila Jockey Club was founded in Manila in 1867 by Governor-General José de la Gándara y Navarro and approximately 100 people drawn from Spanish, American, and Filipino families. The first activities were recreational rather than commercial. The club organized informal annual races, including a run between San Sebastian Church and Quiapo Church, and did not initially use betting. By the 1880s, increasing commercial and residential development in Quiapo encouraged the club to relocate to a rice-field site in Santa Mesa along the Pasig River, leased from the Tuason family. There it established an oval track and a basic grandstand made from nipa and bamboo. The club held multiple racing meets from 1881 onward. In this early period, membership shaped eligibility for official races, while professional jockeys were permitted to participate in only some of the daily events. Political conflict at the end of Spanish colonial rule interrupted the club’s activities. Following the Pact of Biak-na-Bato in 1897, Manila Jockey Club arranged a planned Gran Copa de Manila, but the race was cancelled after the Battle of Manila Bay. The club temporarily closed and reopened in 1899. In 1900, it moved to San Lazaro in Santa Cruz, Manila, on a 16-hectare property leased from the Monasterio de Santa Clara. The introduction of betting in 1903 transformed horse racing from an activity associated mainly with wealthy patrons into a sport with wider public participation. Revenues were directed toward facility improvements and charitable causes. The organization purchased the San Lazaro property in 1912 and built a new grandstand and a six-furlong turf track. Although founded in 1867, it was formally incorporated decades later, in 1937, as Manila Jockey Club, Inc. The Second World War caused another lengthy interruption. Japanese forces used the club’s facilities as barracks from 1943 during the occupation of the Philippines. After the Battle of Manila in 1945, American forces took over the buildings, first as a garrison and later as a hospital. Club members regained control in March 1946. Reconstruction proceeded quickly, and the San Lazaro Hippodrome resumed racing within about two months. At a later stage, Manila Jockey Club transferred its principal racing activity from the historic San Lazaro site to San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. The club’s sporting role also extended beyond horse racing. In the early twentieth century it maintained a football team that competed with organizations including Manila Sporting Club, Paris Club, Sandow Athletic Club, and Bohemian Sporting Club. In a more recent period it worked with the Philippine Football Federation to establish a National Training Center at San Lazaro Leisure Park. The club’s direct involvement in horse racing changed decisively in 2022. In August of that year it announced the closure of its 155-year-old racing operations at San Lazaro Leisure Park, with the final races under its banners held in October. It stated that its future emphasis would be real-estate ventures and that existing horse-racing facilities would be leased. The Carmona facilities were leased to The Horsemen’s Track of Hapi Jockey Club Inc. The available reference material does not provide enough information to determine the organization’s current executive leadership, ownership, corporate listing, or ongoing legal status.
- 2022
Direct horse-racing operations discontinued
[1]The club announced the closure of its racing operations at San Lazaro Leisure Park, with its final races held in October and a stated shift toward real estate and leasing.
- 1946
San Lazaro Hippodrome resumes operations
[1]Members recovered the wartime-occupied facilities in March, and racing resumed after reconstruction.
- 1937
Corporate incorporation
[1]The organization was incorporated under the name Manila Jockey Club, Inc.
- 1912
San Lazaro property acquired
[1]Manila Jockey Club purchased the San Lazaro property and developed a new grandstand and six-furlong turf track.
- 1903
Betting introduced
[1]Betting expanded the audience for the club’s races and created funds for facility improvements and charitable organizations.
- 1900
Relocation to San Lazaro
[1]The club moved to a 16-hectare site in San Lazaro, Santa Cruz, Manila.
- 1897
Gran Copa de Manila cancelled
[1]A planned major race was cancelled amid the Battle of Manila Bay and the collapse of Spanish colonial rule.
- 1881
Organized racing begins at the Santa Mesa site
[1]After relocating from Quiapo, the club held organized racing meets on an oval course in Santa Mesa.
- 1867
Club established in Manila
[1]José de la Gándara y Navarro and approximately 100 members of Spanish, American, and Filipino Manila families established the Manila Jockey Club.
Products and positioning
A historic Philippine racing institution whose identity developed from elite recreational sport into mass-market wagering, racecourse management, and, more recently, property-focused operations.
Sporting events · 1867
Horse-racing meetings
Horse racing was the club’s defining activity from its establishment in 1867 through the end of its directly operated racing program in 2022. Its operations evolved from recreational races without betting into organized meets with wagering, racecourse infrastructure, professional jockey participation, and public attendance.
Racecourse and leisure facilities
San Lazaro Leisure Park
San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite became the club’s principal modern racing venue and also accommodated sports-related facilities, including a football training center developed with the Philippine Football Federation. After the club ended its own racing operations, the horse-racing facilities were leased to another jockey club.
Real estate · 2022
Real-estate ventures and property leasing
In announcing the end of its directly operated racing program in 2022, Manila Jockey Club identified real-estate ventures and the leasing of existing properties as its future business emphasis. The available material does not specify the full portfolio or current projects.
Sports organization
Football activities
The club maintained a football team in the early 1900s and competed with several Manila sporting organizations. It later collaborated with the Philippine Football Federation in establishing a National Training Center at San Lazaro Leisure Park.
Brand decisions
2022
Shift from direct racing operations to real estate and leasingStrategyBackground
After 155 years associated with horse racing, the club reassessed its role at San Lazaro Leisure Park.
Action taken
It announced the closure of its own racing operations, held its last races under the club’s banners in October, and stated that it would focus on real-estate ventures while leasing existing facilities.
Aftermath
The Carmona horse-racing facilities were leased to The Horsemen’s Track of Hapi Jockey Club Inc. The available material does not document the longer-term financial or operational results.
Sources1 sources
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