Filipinos Dominate The 2007 Derby City Classic

Executive West Hotel, Louisville, KY - The famous Derby City Classic which ran January4-13, proved to be a great year opener for Filipino cue-masters.

Derby City Classic Bank Pool Event
"The Magician" Efren Reyes, succumbed to American Steve Moore in the finals. Moore took home $10,000 while Reyes settled for a nice $5,000 pay.Filipino veteran and 2006 US 9-Ball Open runner-up, Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat finished 3rd for $3,000.

Derby City Classic One Pocket Event
Efren Reyes avenged his Bank Pool Finals loss via dominating the One Pocket Event. Reyes, a One Pocket Hall of Fame awardee, stomped his class by going through the entire event undefeated. Efren took $12,000 by winning against Cliff Joyner in the finals. Joyner took $6,000 for finishing 2nd. Another Filipino great, Francisco "Django" Bustamante took 3rd place and $3,600.

Derby City Classic 9-Ball Event
Three-time European Straight Pool Champ, Holland's Niels "The Terminator" Feijen, captured the 9-Ball Event by defeating Rodolfo Luat in the finals. Feijen took home $16,800 while Luat has $8,400. Django Bustamante who placed 3rd took $4,400.

Derby City Classic Master of the Table
The eventual Master of the Table (given to the best performer in all 3 events) is "The Magician" Efren "Bata" Reyes. He took a bonus price of $20,000. Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat placed 2nd with a bonus of $3,000. Francisco "Django" Bustamante placed 3rd with a bonus of $2,000.

Top Philippine Billiard Players of 2006


1. "The Magician" Efren Reyes
1st - 2006 Asian 9-Ball Tour Jakarta Leg
1st - 2006 IPT World Open 8-Ball Championship
1st - 2006 World Cup of Pool
4th - 2006 IPT North American 8-Ball Championship
1st - Derby City Classic, One Pocket Event
1st - 2006 Asian 9-Ball Tour Ho Chi Minh City Leg
2nd - Derby City Classic, Master of the Table

2. Dennis "Surigao" Orcullo
1st - 2006 World Pool League
5th - 2006 IPT World Open 8-Ball Championship
3rd - 2006 IPT North American 8-Ball Championship
1st - World (9-Ball) Championship Bar Table Tournament
1st - US Bar Table Championship, 8-Ball
1st - 43rd Annual Reno Open

3. Ronato "The Volcano" Alcano
1st - 2006 World Pool championship

4. "Marvelous" Marlon Manalo
2nd - 2006 IPT North American 8-Ball Championship

5. Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica
2nd - 2006 Doha Asian Games Men's 8-Ball Pool-Singles
1st - 2006 Doha Asian Games Men's 9-Ball Pool-Singles

6T. Rodolfo "Boy Samson" Luat
2nd - 31st Annual US Open 9-Ball Championships
1st - 2006 Asian 9-Ball Tour Kaohsiung Leg
Qtrs - 2006 World Pool Championship

6T. Francisco "Django" Bustamante
1st - World Cup of Pool
1st - 2006 San Miguel Philippine 9-Ball Open

7. Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan
1st - BSCP National Pool Championship
2nd - 2nd SML Open 9-Ball Championship
2nd - 2006 World Pool Masters

8. Lee Van "Van-Van" Corteza
1st - 39th All Japan Championship

9. Jeff "Bata" De Luna
2nd - 2006 Doha Asian Games Men's 9-Ball Pool-Singles

10. Antonio "Nickoy" Lining
1st - Japan Open 9-Ball Billiards Championship

Philipppines Dominates Asiad 9-Ball; Gabica Grabbed 2 Medals

Al-Sadd Sports Club, Doha, Qatar - The Philippines dominated the Men's 9-Ball Pool-Singles event in the recently concluded 2006 Asian Games. Filipinos Antonio "Gaga" Gabica and Jeffrey "Bata" De Luna contested for the gold medal with Gabica winning out with an 11-7 score. In the semis, Gabica defeated Korean Jeoung Young Hwa while De Luna defeats eventual bronze medalist Taiwanese Yang Ching Shun.

The win was Gabica's way making out for his loss in the Men's 8-Ball Pool-Singles finals, where he settled for the silver medal, against Japanese Satoshi Kawabata, the match ended with a score of 7-9. In the semis, Kawabata defeated another Filipino in the person of Dodong "The Rattlesnake" Andam while Gabica defeated eventual bronze medalist Taiwanese Huang Kung Chang.

Gabica took home 1 gold and 1 silver and should be rewarded with Php2.3Million ($46,000) while de Luna takes home 1 silver worth Php800,000 ($16,000). The cash prizes are incentives to be given by the Philippine government to all Asiad medalists.