Plum Pretty is America’s Champion Three-Year old filly, but her older half-sister helps beginners learn how to ride at an Equestrian Club in Korea.

Korean racing fans were a little bemused to watch Plum Pretty bravely hang on in the final furlong at Churchill Downs on Friday to win the Kentucky Oaks. For Plum Pretty (Medaglia D’Oro) is the fourth foal out of a dam called Liszy. And in 2006, Liszy (A.P. Indy) gave birth to a filly by More Than Ready (Southern Halo).

In December the following year, that filly would go through the Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic December Mixed sale and, at a knock-down price, be purchased by a Korean buyer. A month later, in January 2008, she arrived for her new life in Korea.

The filly was bought by Kumak Farm and was named Taeyangui Mabeopsa – or “Magic of the Sun.” She was sent to Seoul Race Park and the barn of trainer Kim Myung Guk. Although not especially impressive in trials, by September of that year she was considered ready to race and made her debut in race 2 on the 28th of that month.

Ridden by Choi Bum Hyun, she was sent off at 35/1 and ran to expectations finishing seventh of twelve over five furlongs. That would set the standard for her next couple of outings and on her fourth start she finished so far behind the winner, she was banned from racing from two months for being uncompetitive.

On her return in March 2009, things improved. Now in the ownership of Kim Gwang Young and under American jockey Santos Chavez in another five furlong race, she finished fourth, gaining her first money finish. Two races later and stepping up to six furlongs, she would finish third. This was a position she would go on to achieve three more times for a third owner, Koo Bon Soon, over the next couple of years, but Taeyangui Mabeopsa never won a race and never made it out of class 4 racing – the lowest for imported horses.

She ran at Seoul for the final time in January of this year, finishing tenth of twelve in her thirty-second outing. Owner Koo decided that she was unlikely to add to the 21 Million Korean won (about US$20K) she had won and retired her from racing. She was transferred to the Namyang Riding Club, an equestrian club in Gyeonggi Province, 75 miles south-west of Seoul, an organisation that retrains former racehorses as riding horses.

Once re-trained, the horses are used for various leisure activities while the club is also well-known for appearing in many Korean movies and TV Dramas.

Taeyangui Mabeopsa is in good company. Among many recently retired from the track, Namyang recently took possession of Seonbongbulpae, Korea’s champion juvenile of 2009 who also ran his last race earlier this year. As a Korean born colt, Seonbongbulpae had no stud value. Likewise, Taeyangui Mabeopsa hadn’t been deemed worthy of broodmare duties.

After what happened in Louisville last Friday evening, she may well find herself called back to the farm.

H/T to Fallight for this story.