While snow has been more common of late, today the whole of the Korean peninsula saw its first rainfall for quite some time. And a lot of rain it was too as the cards at both Seoul and Busan were run in torrential conditions.

A wet but successful Baekjeonmupae returns after winning the frst of Sunday's co-features at Seoul

Not that a lot of the horses seemed to mind as Baekjeonmupae , fresh from defeating Tough Win and Dongbanui Gangja, continued his rich vein of form by taking out the first of co-feature races in the capital. The New Zealand bred six-year old swept wide of the field to claim victory in the seven furlong handicap by a commanding four length margin from outsider Bugmyeongsingong.

Baekjeonmupae (Anziyan) moves onto twelve career victories but from the same race, a special mention must go to Bally Brae (Yarrow Brae). The 2007 Grand Prix winner and former Horse of the Year is a shadow of his former self but is still healthy and in racing shape. Today he was just beaten out of third place by a neck by Kahnui Jeonseol but took fourth and with it his first money win since May last year.

In the second co-feature, last year’s champion filly and mare Love Cat was sent off as favourite, but it was Suseong TX who took the honours by overhauling long-time leader Natural Guy in the final furlong.

Angry sky: Seoul Racecourse February 27, 2011

Down at Busan where the weather was equally wet and wild, the feature race went the way of six year old mare Daejaui Yeosin (Impeachment) who got the better of a photo finish with Mystery Boy (Ecton Park) at the end of the mile long handicap.

Earlier at Busan, there was a win for three year old Useung Touch. The Menifee filly grabbed a surprise third in the Breeders’ Cup last November and won on her season debut in January. While yet to be tested around two turns, she is a possible Classic entrant later in the year. Another yet to be tested at two turns is exciting American import Viva Ace (Macho Uno). He was sent off odds-on favourite today but came unstuck over 1500 metres as 30/1 shot Northern Diva (Northen Afleet) took the honours in the class 2 race 5.

So concludes February’s racing on the peninsula, we’re back next week!

Grandstanding: Most punters stayed indoors today

So what do we make of this? Another colt on the Classic trail? Or is it that the ones that the ones who already were in the frame are not as good as we thought? Two of the season’s brightest hopes came face to face at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. And both were soundly beaten.

Singgeureounachim - difficult to spell. He put himself in the Classic frame and gave jockey Jo In Kwen one of five winners today

With the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown, just over a month away, Ophelia (Commendable) and Gwangyajeil (Vicar) are among the highest rated of the three year olds who will be going after the Classics this year. Today, they both made their first attempt at 1700 metres – 100 metres more than the Cup Mile, a 100 metres less than the Derby. They were sent off as the top two in the betting, but both found themselves upstaged by another young colt. Singgeureounachim (Exploit) started at 14/1 but jockey Jo In Kwen timed his run just right to storm to a two length victory.

Ophelia - despite the name, he's a colt and he put in a strong final furlong

Ophelia got caught in traffic but finished well in second while Gwangyajeil was never a threat in fourth. Ophelia’s strong finish suggested there is more to come while Gwangyajeil may have had an off-day. As for the winner, while recording just his second win from seven starts, he now finds himself amongst the Classic front-runners.

With Park Tae Jong, Moon Se Young, Cho Kyoung Ho and Jung Ki Yong among an unusually large number of jockeys sidelined this weekend due to injury (Park) and suspension (the rest), Jo In Kwen took full advantage. Aside from Singgeureounachim (you will forgive me if I don’t root for him during the Triple Crown as even by Korean standards, it really is a rather difficult name to type), Jo rode four more winners including both of the co-features on Cherokee Man (Sir Cherokee) and Jewang Tansaeng (Petionville).

Racing returns to Seoul on Sunday with 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00 while there are 6 races at Busan from 12:30 to 16:30.

Jo-sen one. Jo In Kwen scored five winners today

Defending Champion Beaten / Ace Galloper, Yeonseung Daero Shocked by Old-Timers

Florida Sox put in a valiant defence of her title, but it was Kkakjaengi who came away with the victory in the Segye Ilbo Stakes Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Kkakjaengi in the Segye Ilbo Winner's Circle

Florida Sox, who had struggled with injury since winning the event last year, was sent off the odds-on favourite and led for six of the seven furlongs of this, one of very few Stakes races on the calendar for imported fillies and mares. Yet in the final furlong, the four-year old had nothing left and Kkakjaengi, a year her junior, swept by to win by half a length from Geumbi with Florida Sox hanging on for third.

Kkakjaengi (Put It Back) is a talent. Although she finished next to last in her debut last September, since then she has three wins and two seconds from five outings. For jockey Shin Hyoung Chul, one of the most experienced in the weighing room, it was a first Stakes victory since he won the Ttukseom Cup on Namchonuijijon in 2008.

Magic Party and Jang Chu Yeol (near-side) prepare to take the lead in race 7

Earlier, on a glorious spring-like afternoon at the races, another filly returned to form. Magic Party (Artie Schiller) was originally entered in the Segye Ilbo but steered clear in favour of taking on a class 3 field in race 7. After disappointing at two turns, she dropped back to seven furlongs and scored a comfortable win.

Magic Party, winner of the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup was one of last year’s stand-out two year olds but, having been sired overseas (although born in Korea), she’s ineligible for the three-year old Classics. A colt who is very eligible, however, is Shoot In (Exploit) and he made his much-anticipated second track outing in race 6.

Shoot In - Two for Two and looking good

Midway down the home straight, it looked as though jockey Cho Kyoung Ho may have left himself too much to do as Shoot In had several lengths to make up on the leaders.

Make them up he did with a little burst of speed a furlong from home to win, easing down, by two lengths. There will be greater challenges – not to mention distances – for Shoot In to contend with if he is going to be considered a Derby horse, but so far, he’s doing everything right.

On a very busy day of racing, there were two shocks and they came in the feature handicaps at both Seoul and Busan. In the capital, Ace Galloper was looking for his eleventh win from sixteen starts and punters sent him off at odds-on to achieve it. They reckoned without Hongji, an old-stager who’s always in the minor money but rarely lands a win – his last was in March 2009. Ace Galloper had him in his sights in the final furlong but the line came soon enough and the eight year old Hongji recorded his tenth career victory.

Down at Busan, the wonderful Yeonseung Daero was yet again the only Korean bred horse taking his chances against the imports in the feature race. He’s so good at it, he too was sent off odds-on. Hitting the front with a furlong to go, it looked like a thirteenth win was his for the taking but suddenly, creeping down the rail, was the venerable nine-year old Admiral Reigart [General Royal – Entoria (Stop The Music)].

The Admiral gained and gained and on the line, had the better of Yeonseung Daero by a head. It was quite a battle and both jockeys picked up fines for excessive whip use. Ultimately, Admiral Reigart gained his first win for a year and his eighth overall in a sixty-five race career which began in 2004. He’s not even a gelding.

So ended the first really glorious day of racing of the year. With temperatures in double figures at both tracks, big crowds were in. Kkakjaengi was the toast of the Segye Ilbo Cup. It will be a major surprise if she, like Florida Sox, is still in class 2 this time next year to defend it.

Kkakjaengi and Shin Hyung Chul

Segye Ilbo Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Feb 20, 2011

1. Kkakjaengi (USA) [Put It Back – Wild Dixie Gal (Wild Event)] – Shin Hyung Chul – 10.2, 2.0
2. Geumbi (USA) [Ecton Park – Lady Justine (Lit De Justice)] – Han Sung Youl – 1.7
3. Florida Sox (USA) [Woke Up Dreamin – Chordette (Dixieland Band)] – Boo Min Ho – 1.2

Distances: 0.5 lengths/1.25 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Alpha Lady (AUS) 5. Burning Sky (JPN) 6. Blueband Mama (USA) 7. Sky Center (USA) 8. Fortunata (USA) 9. Milwaukee Money (CAN) 10. Illicit Image (USA) 11. Gwangsokcheoreom (USA) 12. Chongalcheoreom (NZ) 13. Southern Express (USA) 14. Dangmasan (USA)

On the nicest day of the year so far, there was a big crowd at Seoul Racecourse

Grand Prix Champion Rules at Busan / Wangson Returns Victorious at Seoul

Big sprints are few and far between in the Korean racing calendar. Once a horse has graduated to the higher echelons of racing here, they do not get many opportunities to run at distances less than nine furlongs. This can mean a premature career end for many talented sprinters who simply can’t stay the distance in longer races. Likewise, with lower class races almost always being sprints, stayers sometimes never have the opportunity to prove their talents.

Mister Park (Pic: KRA)

Things are improving slightly, as today saw the beginning of a Class 1 sprint series at both Seoul and Busan. And it could have no greater start as the current hot property of Korean racing, Mister Park, lined up for the seven furlong feature at Busan. Despite carrying at least three kilos more than any of his rivals, the Grand Prix winner was sent off favourite over a field that included Areumdaun Jilju and sprint specialist Mulbora.

Mister Park (Ecton Park) didn’t disappoint. Hitting the front as the field entered the home straight, the now four year old gelding stretched away to record a dominant four length win. The identity of the horse who got closest to him was a surprise though. Ebony Storm was the longest shot on the board when he won the 2008 Korean Derby in a monsoon downpour at Seoul. Since then he’d only won twice in sixteen starts and was today making an unexpected return after a seven month lay-off. Sent off at 40/1, Ebony Storm showed at the front throughout and held off the challenge of Thunder Clap and Mulbora to take the runner-up spot.

Wangson and Choi Jeung Seob return to scale after winning Seoul's Sunday Feature

Up in the capital, seven furlongs was also the distance of the main event. Coming off the back of two wins, Holy Dreamer was sent off favourite but while he finished quickly, it was too late to catch Wangson. Another one coming back from a lay-off, Wangson won the SBS Cup on a sweltering evening last July.

Conditions were a little bit different on this sub-zero afternoon but he’d built up enough of a lead over the field to be finishing slowly and still have three lengths in hand over Holy Dreamer who had to come right through the field to launch his challenge. Wangson now moves onto the impressive figure of eight wins from seventeen starts.

Earlier, 2010 Oaks winner Euro Fighter slumped to another defeat. This time she was well beaten by the improving Achim Sarang. Achim Sarang is, like Dongbanui Gangja, by the sire Broken Vow. And, like the double Grand Prix champion who is also ridden by Choi Bum Hyun, Achim Sarang has problems running in a straight line. Her and Choi veered drastically towards the Grandstand on the home straight but had enough in the tank to get to the line in front.

Wide Boy: Choi Bum Hyun and Achim Sarang go very wide to win race 8

Choi needs to be careful. He’s a talented jockey but is all too frequently on the receiving end of catcalls from punters who believe he has to go wide to win. He’s not the only jockey that has struggled to control Dongbanui Gangja, but rides like the one on Achim Sarang today don’t help.

In other races Mass Media’s Tea (Mass Media), with three wins from four starts, was sent off as favourite on his first venture around two turns. The highly rated US import disappointed though as never featured, ultimately finishing sixth to outsider Radio Box (Outofthebox).

Ham Wan Sik and Seoul Yeongung win race 4

So, another weekend of racing draws to a close. Mister Park moves on to eleven wins from twelve starts and the question is what next? He’s won at distance and he’s won at sprints. Hopefully there will be another showdown with the likes of Areumdaun Jilju, Dangdae Bulpae, Yeonseung Daero and Cheonnyeon Daero at middle distance. However, one of those horses, Yeonseung Daero, shows the ideal route.

As Grand Prix champion – and therefore de-facto Champion of Korean racing, Mister Park needs to race against the very best that Korea can offer and that means not being restricted to Korean only races. He’s already done it once at the Grand Prix and, if connections agree and take the sporting option, then we could be in for a very interesting and rewarding season.

Full Grandstand and busy trackside - the temperature was still below zero but it didn't feel like it as the biggest crowd of the year so far descended on Seoul Race Park

While the eastern part of the peninsula was struggling with the heaviest snowfall for a century, the sun blazed down on Seoul today. However, Sun Blaze himself ran a disappointing fifth in his first attempt around two turns at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The Derby hopeful had been sent off the odds-on favourite for his season debut. extinguished

Bad Day: Park Tae Jong

Sun Blaze had finished second to fellow Menifee colt Sun Hero in the Breeders’ Cup last November. Sun Hero has already put in a less than impressive performance of his own this year and Sun Blaze, despite looking good in the early stages of today’s 1700M race 10, weakened in the home straight to finish fifth, five lengths behind the winner, 8/1 shot Seventy-Niner.

It was a bad day for jockey Park Tae Jong, who followed up defeat on Sun Blaze with another reversal on an odds-on favourite, as Choegoro was taken down in race 11 by 6/1 shot Jet Fire. With the defeat of Sun Blaze, Triple Crown followers are now turning towards Vicar colt Gwangyajeil, who only ran twice as a two-year old but was an easy winner on his 2011 debut as early favourite for the first Classic of the year, the KRA Cup Mile at Busan in early April.

Ham Wan Sik gets to work with Eastern Dancer as they win race 9

Right now, the mention of April sounds wonderful as today It was yet another sub-zero day of racing in the capital. Nevertheless, there was a big Saturday crowd out for the extended thirteen race card seeing in the Year Of The Rabbit. Not that there was much spectacular racing on show but couple of maidens were broken who deserve a mention; Glory Sun was the 35/1 winner of race 7, the four-year old filly winning for the first time in her fifteen starts to date.

Meanwhile, one race earlier, something had to give as twelve horses with statistics of 0 wins for 138 starts came together. Punters had no clue and opted – understandably given the circumstances – for the horse with the least starts. It was, however, Double Maha who took the honours with a narrow victory at odds of 30/1.

Moon Se Young and Jolie's Runner (3) take race 4

Racing returns tomorrow and it’s Sprint Day! Feature races at both Seoul and Busan are at sprint distances, with Grand Prix champion Mister Park trying his hand at 1300M in the southern track’s feature while in the capital, Holy Dreamer is set to be well fancied in a 1400M dash.

Sunday February 13

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30

There's still a bit of a social stigma attached to being a racegoer in Korea as this snapshot of the front cover of today's Korean Racing Journal shows. On the left is Journal editor Kim Mun Young, on the right is "Mr X" who won January's Punter Of The Month competition