The Korea Racing Authority (KRA) has decided to stop offering a special lounge for overseas visitors to watch the races at Seoul Race Park. The popular “Foreigners’ Lounge”, arguably the best facility of its kind at any racetrack anywhere, provided seating, English racecards and translation services in English, Japanese and Chinese all free of charge. However, it is to close with immediate effect.
Overseas guests can no longer enjoy these views
An information desk manned by English and Japanese speaking staff will continue to operate but there will no longer be a reserved seating area with the current lounge opened up to all racegoers from this coming Saturday.
The decision means that a trip to the races will become a far less attractive proposition for overseas visitors to Korea. With nowhere to sit, except in the smoke-bound outside area of the grandstand, there will be little to recommend to the casual visitor.
The KRA did not respond to email requests for comment for the reasons behind the decision.
It’s not been a good week for the KRA’s “internationalization”. While their English langauge results service has been a positive development, it erroneously reported that Triple Sinhwa won the KRA Cup Mile at Busan last weekend. The reason for this was that the actual winner of the race, Money Car, is from Seoul and therefore not on the system that they use to generate the Busan results. They fixed this but evidently too well – the KRA’s official website now shows that Money Car won every single race at both Seoul and Busan this past weekend:
Forget the Triple Crown - Money Car won every race this weekend!
Lucky Mountain second as returning Baekpa is fourth
Baekpa produced an exciting late run but it was favourite Triple Seven who sprinted to victory in the Ttukseom Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Under Choi Bum Hyun, the five-year old first overcame Gangho Jewang and then held off Lucky Mountain and Baengnyeonbong in an action-packed final furlong.
SBS Cup winner Hallyu Star set the pace early on before Gangho Jewang took command with a furlong to go. The big guns came from the back, however, and it was Triple Seven who was the quickest, coming wide to take the lead and hit the line a length and a half clear of second favourite Lucky Mountain.
Fourth by the narrowest of margins was the returning Baekpa. After a year and a half away – which had involved an ill-fated three race stint the US – few gave the 2007 Oaks winner any chance in a race that used to form part of the Korean Triple Crown.
Baekpa back in the paddock at last
Entering the home straight she was practically last but then, with Yoo Seung Wan – a jockey who also spent much of last year in the States – on board, she started to motor and overtook horse after horse before the line came just a little too soon. Her talent is still there and we can hopefully look forward to seeing much more of Baekpa as the season progresses.
As for Triple Seven, third in last year’s President’s Cup, his ninth win is by far the biggest of his career.
Triple Seven and Choi Bum Hyun in the Winner's Circle
Ttukseom Cup (KOR.G.III) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Apr 11, 2010
1. Triple Seven [The Groom is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] – Choi Bum Hyun – 1.9, 1.2 2. Lucky Mountain [Silent Warrior – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.4 3. Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 2.1
Down at Busan, Yeonseung Daero got back to winning ways in the feature race. As ever, the four-year old was matched against overseas-bred opposition and, under a patient ride from Park Geum Man, comfortably saw off the rest of the field over 2000 metres.
Dongbanui Gangja made it twelve wins in a row at Seoul Race Park this afternoon as he came with his characteristic late run to overcome Big Sox in the final few metres of the ten furlong feature handicap. It looked as though for once he had been allowed to drift far too wide in the home straight, but Choi Bum Hyun was able to get enough out of the five-year old to just sneak home.
Meanwhile, Derby hope Northern Ace breezed to his fourth win from four starts against a hopelessly mismatched class 4 field. Significantly, it was Northern Ace’s first effort around two turns and he now goes on to challenge the KRA Cup Mile winner Money Car in the big showdown in May.
Baekpa, Triple Seven, Lucky Mountain go for Ttukseom Cup
After Baekgwang made a glorious return to the track last year with his career seemingly cruelly cut short, it’s the turn of little sister Baekpa to make her own comeback after an absence of nearly a year and a half.
The 2007 Korean Oaks and 2008 Sports Seoul winner will line up for the Group 3 Ttukseom Cup at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon. She last appeared in the Grand Prix race back in 2008 before being sent for an ill-advised and ill-fated stint in the USA.
The now six-year old grey will have an uphill task to claim a race that used to be considered as the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown. Lucky Mountain, Triple Seven, Namchonuijijon, Baengnyeonbong and Holy Dreamer are among a very competitive field going to post for the race named after the former home of Seoul Racecourse.
The Ttukseom Cup is the highlight of a weekend which also sees Seoul’s best horse in action. Dongbanui Gangja goes in race 11 on Saturday.
Full list of Ttukseom Cup runners and riders (Name/pedigree/age/sex/record/Jockey):
Ttukseom Cup (G.III) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Sunday April 11, 2010, 17:00
1. Triple Seven [The Groom is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] 5-H-(25/8/3/6) – Choi Beom Hyun 2. Giant Rose [Pacific Bounty – Kiss My Goldie (Candie’s Gold)] 5-M-(22/5/3/3) – Moon Jung Kyun 3. Baekpa [Revere – Grey Crest (Gold Crest)] 6-M-(22/8/5/2) – Yoo Seung Wan 4. Lucky Mountain [Silent Warrior – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] 5-M-(26/8/7/7) – Park Tae Jong 5. New Rider [Road Of War – Flyin Kristen (Exclusive Gem)] 7-H-(48/6/6/3) – Moon Se Young 6. Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] 4-C-(16/6/1/5) – Oh Kyoung Hoan 7. Namchonuijijon [Concept Win – Intriga (Lord At Law)] 6-H-(30/6/8/4) – Jung Ki Yong 8. Indiana Dream [Buster’s Daydream – Momento’s Pride (Momento)] 5-H-(24/5/4/3) – Jo In Kwen 9. Khanui Huye [The Groom Is Red – Noble Michelle (Flow Technology)] 4-C-(16/5/3/1) – Ham Wan Sik 10. Lucky Seven [Didyme – Agent Flirt (Double Agent)] 8-G-(31/5/7/2) – Lee Sang Hyeok 11. Holy Dreamer [Duality – Nice Weather (Future Storm)] 4-G-(11/7/0/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul 12. Hallyu Star [Sharp Appeal – Angel (Land Rush)] 7-G-(41/7/6/3) – Choi Won Joon 13. Grandzif [Mujaazif – Knight Blues (Knight’s Choice)] 5-M-(26/4/7/3) – Kim Dong Min 14. Gangho Jewang [Road Of War – Chinsongwon (Glorify)] 5-G-(21/5/2/5) – Yoo Sang Wan
Friday April 9
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30
Saturday April 10
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 17:40 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:20
Sunday April 11
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:10 Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30
Money Car produced a sterling performance to leave the rest of the best of the nation’s three-year olds stalled in the Busan sand as he won the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown at Busan Race Park this afternoon.
Starting the odds-on favourite in a field which was reduced to thirteen following the scratching of Dae Wan (which is another story in itself), Park Tae Jong launched Money Car at full throttle out of the gate and into an early lead. No-one came to challenge him and he was able to cruise away from the field as they left the final corner and entered the home straight – eleven lengths the margin at the finish.
Triple Sinhwa led the field home as a distant second, just edging out second favourite Cheonnyeondaero. South African jockey Martin Wepner’s mount, Dangdae Bulpae, was sent off third in the betting but finished a disappointing eighth. Australian trainer Peter Wolsley saddled both Saeroun Taeyang and Mega Tough, who finished fifth and twelfth respectively.
Money Car is one of the few foals to make the track by the young sire Newsprint, who died tragically young late in 2009. He’s now won six of his seven starts and although his main challenger for Triple Crown honours, Northern Ace, was absent today, Money Car is now in pole position for the Korean Derby which is just over a month away.
Money Car’s victory was the first for a Seoul based horse in a Classic since the Triple Crown series was opened up to runners from both the nation’s thoroughbred tracks. The last horse from the Capital to win one was J.S Hold who would, of course, go on to sweep all three in 2007.
KRA Cup Mile (KOR.G.II) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – Apr 4, 2010
1. Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.6, 1.1 2. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] – Chae Gyu Jun – 2.9 3. Cheonnyeondaero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] – Jo Sung Gon – 1.4
Distances: 11 lengths/0.5 lengths Also Ran: 4. Forest Wind; 5. Saeroun Taeyang; 6. The Almighty; 7. Udeumji; 8. Dangdae Bulpae; 9. Glory Yeongwang; 10. Baekjeom Manjeom; 11. Almighty Hit; 12. Mega Tough; 13. Sliver Mon
Non-runner: Dae Wan
Money Car wasn’t the only one of the ill-fated Newsprint’s progeny to score today. Up at Seoul Race Park, 2009 Champion Juvenile, Seonbongbulpae, was an emphatic winner in the class 2 race 9 and has qualified for the top-tier of racing. Could a showdown with Money Car in the Derby be the ultimate tribute to his sire?
On any other afternoon, Seonbongbulpae would have been the star at Seoul, but today was not just another day. The main event in the capital was the coming of age of a different three-year old. Overseas-bred horses aren’t eligible for the Triple Crown but do make up the elite of those running on the peninsula. Tough Win [Yonaguska – Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] is one of the most exciting of those to arrive in Korea in recent times and went into today’s showdown with Bulpae Gisang – winner of last year’s Busan Metropolitan and recognised as the second best horse in Korea – with a perfect five from five record.
He maintained it. Haengun Daewang, a winner last time out, set the early pace, but Tough Win took command as the field entered the home straight. Bulpae Gisang is a closer and under Choi Bum Hyun he did indeed make a late run. The younger horse always had things in hand though and, while he won’t have a four kilo weight advantage again, punters were already thinking this could be the horse who could take on Dongbanui Gangja later on this season.
Any final clash would potentially be in the season ending Grand Prix. Today Money Car and Tough Win were both first to their respective “chequered flags”. Later this year we may find out who is the greatest “Prancing Horse”.
Segye Ilbo Stakes winner Florida Sox stepped up to nine furlongs but punters were left no nearer to knowing whether the exciting filly can handle two turns after she returned lame at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.
Florida Sox had won three of her four races to date and was sent-off the odds-on favourite in the class 2 race 9. However, with an aggressive front-running style, there were doubts as to whether she would have the stamina to last in longer distance races as opposed to the sprints that she had dominated.
As ever, she bounced out of the gate in the lead and looked comfortable heading into the home straight. When it was time to start sprinting, however, jockey Boo Min Ho could find nothing and he gradually eased the filly out of the race as outsider Baramsan came through for a 50/1 victory. Florida Sox will be out for at least four months.
Love Cat
In the main event, it was another filly, Love Cat, who was in top form. Under Choi Bum Hyun, the four-year old – winner of last year’s Sports Seoul Stakes – romped to victory in the class 1 race 11, beating Chamgippeum by four lengths. Love Cat now has eight wins from seventeen starts.
In other races on a glorious Spring day at Seoul Race Park, there was a smart win for filly D Day, who strolled to victory in race 9. There were also two returns of note. Jockey Kim Ok Sung, rode his first races after a two and a half month ban for a combination a poor ride and failing a breath test. The “Smile Jockey” didn’t trouble the placings throughout the afternoon.
D Day was a winner today
Meanwhile, three-year old filly Raipai made only her second racecourse appearance. Her first was seven long months ago, at the end of August last year. In that race, she veered wildly off course at the start and collided with the rails, ruling jockey Moon Se Young out for three months and herself for much longer. Today there were no problems as she led from the start to secure a six length win.
Racing returns to Seoul on Sunday when Bulpae Gisang Vs Tough Win tops the bill. The main business of the day though will of course be down at Busan as the 2010 Triple Crown series gets underway in the shape of the KRA Cup Mile.
KRA Cup Mile / Tough Win vs Bulpae Gisang / Florida Sox
A massive weekend of racing on the peninsula is headed-up by the first jewel in the 2010 Korean Triple Crown, the KRA Cup Mile at Busan Race Park this Sunday (see full preview below). However, that is just the highlight of an exciting three days of racing.
Florida Sox in the Segye Ilbo Winner's Circle
On Saturday at Seoul, three-year old filly Florida Sox, the impressive winner of the Segye Ilbo Stakes in February, returns to the track when she’ll take on mainly males over 1800 metres – two furlongs further than she’s been before. Whether she can manage two turns will be the decisive factor against beatable opposition.
One horse who took a while to adjust to two turns was Seonbongbulpae, but last year’s champion two-year old was a winner last time out and is back in action on Sunday. Once the KRA Cup Mile is out-of-the-way, Seoul has its own intriguing Sunday feature race. Busan Metropolitan winner Bulpae Gisang, rated second only to Dongbanui Gangja in Korea, will go up against Tough Win, the unbeaten three-year old. The younger horse has been able to cruise to victory in all his outings to date. Now we get a chance to find out how good he really is.
Friday April 2
Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30
Saturday April 3
Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 17:40 Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:10, last 17:20
Sunday April 4
Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:10 Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:35
Horse Racing in Korea 