Sunday is the 28th running of the Grand Prix Stakes, the season ending race which in theory, clears up the matter of the year’s top thoroughbred in Korea. It’s one of the most valuable races on the calendar and also the longest running “name” race.

Whereas the Classics are restricted to Korean bred entrants, the Grand Prix is open to all. Indeed in the previous 27 editions, home-bred horses have ended up in the winner’s circle just three times. Fillies or mares have won the race five times with Ka Shock Do taking back-to-back wins in 1990 and 1991.

Dongbanui Gangja will be bidding to become the third horse to win in two consecutive years – along with Ka Shock Do, the great Po Gyeong Seon won the first two editions of the race in 1985 and 1986 – carrying 65kg in the latter.

2008: Dongbanui Gangja (USA)
2007: Bally Brae (USA) – Also has two second places to his name, in 2006 and 2008.
2006: Flying Cat (KOR)
2005: Subsidy (USA)
2004: Value Play (USA)
2003: Tempest West (USA)
2002: Bohamian Butler (USA)
2001: Tahamkke (NZ) – has gone on to become a moderately successful sire in Korea
2000: Cheolgeoun Party (KOR) – The only Korean bred filly to win.
1999: Saegangja (KOR)
1998: Sin Se Dae (AUS)
1997: P’Ulgeurim (NZ)
1996: Hula-Mingo (NZ)
1995: Dae Kyeun (AUS)
1994: Ji Goo Ryeok (AUS) – The first year prize-money was awarded, Ji Goo Ryeok’s connections took home 50 Million won. This year’s winner will receive 212 Million, slightly down on last year.
1993: Gi Peun So Sik (NZ)
1992: Chun Pung (NZ)
1991: Ka Shock Do (NZ) – With her second , she became arguably the greatest filly to run in Korea. In all, she won twelve of her thirteen starts.
1990: Ka Shock Do (NZ)
1989: Cha Dol (USA)
1988: Wang Bang Wool (AUS)
1987: Cheong Ha (AUS)
1986: Po Gyeong Seon (NZ) – with twenty wins from twenty-five starts, he is, along with Saegangja and J.S. Hold
1985: Po Gyeong Seon (NZ)

Choi Beom Hyun will be bidding to become just the second jockey to win the race twice. While the current top four of Choi, Moon Se Young, Cho Kyoung Ho and Park Tae Jong have all won the race once, only Lee Sung Il, who retired in 2005, has won twice.

The origin of the winners also shows the change in influence on Korean racing. Throughout the eighties and nineties, the vast majority of horses imported to Korea were from the Southern Hemisphere. This is reflected by Australian or New Zealand breds winning thirteen of the first sixteen runnings, compared with just one American. Since the turn of the century, the majority of imports have come from the USA and American breds have won six out of the last seven editions.

* Although this is the 28th running of the Grand Prix, Korean racing records officially only go back to 1985.