Tough Win, Jumong, Haedongcheonwang in Cup Classic / Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup at Busan

It’s a big weekend of Stakes action in Seoul as Seoul’s best horses compete against one another in the KRA Cup Classic, while down at Busan, the end of season Juvenile championship races get underway in the shape of the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup.

In the Classic, current Grand Prix Stakes champion Tough Win will face arguably his two greatest rivals – at least from Seoul. He saw off both Jumong and Haedongcheonwang when the three of them met under handicap conditions in early September and, while the three-year old Haedongcheonwang can be expected to show improvement, an on-form Tough Win should still have too much for both of them again.

With the outstanding Smarty Moonhak’s career still hanging in the balance as he undergoes stem-cell treatment for tendonitis, his sire, Smarty Jones is represented in the Classic after all as four-year old Es Four, newly graduated to Class 1, takes his chance with the best.

Here is a full run-down of the runners and riders, with pedigree, age and race records:

KRA Cup Classic (KOR G3) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – Sunday October 21, 16:20

1. Captain Cugat (AUS) [King Cugat – Shiva Angel (Marauding)] 8 (42/5/6/1) – Kim Ok SUng
2. Cheonnyeon Dolpung (NZ) [Sakura Seeking – Firenza (Val D’Arno)] 6 (24/2/5/2) – Lee Gi Woong
3. Tough Win (USA) [Yonaguska – Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] 5 (23/18/2/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
4. Es Four (USA) [Smarty Jones – Golden Honor (Mr. Prospector)] 4 (21/4/2/3) – Yukio Abe
5. Gippeun Sesang (CAN) [Behrens – Bellus (Saint Ballado)] 6 (50/4/4/4) – Choi Bum Hyun
6. Sing Sing Cat (USA) [D’Wildcat – Freddy Fenter (Fenter)] 4 (19/8/3/1) – Lee Sang Hyeok
7. American Revival (USA) [Put It Back – American Saint (Saint Ballado)] 4 (28/3/3/1) – Jung Pyeong Soo
8. Berongi (USA) [Action This Day – Hot Match (Mr. Prospector)] 3 (12/3/4/0) – Lee Dong Kug
9. Ace Galloper (KOR) [Chapel Royal – Explicitly (Exploit)] 5 (27/17/6/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul
10. Tiger Wing (USA) [Repent – Tiger’s Missy (Tiger Ridge)] 4 (20/4/1/3) – Jamg Chuyoul
11. Haedongcheonwang (USA) [West Acre – Sienna’s Honor (Honor Grades)] 3 (9/6/3/0) – Park Tae Jong
12. Jumong (USA) [Johar – Foreign Aid (Danzig)] 5 (32/9/7/6) – Jo In Kwen
13. Nolbu Manse (USA) [Simon Pure – Reason To Fear (Kris S)] 3 (14/5/2/3) – Ham Wan Sik
14. Moby D (USA) [Unbridled Energy – Southern Breeze (General Royal)] 4 (9/2/3/1) – Lee Gi Hweoi

Meanwhile at Busan, the track’s top juveniles meet for the first time in the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup. The best performers will qualify for the Korean Breeders’ Cup at Seoul next month when they will face the top two-year olds from the capital.

Last year’s winner Gyeongbudaero didn’t go on to win the Breeders’ Cup but he did train on as a three-year old, winning the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Triple Crownn in April, and coming third in the final leg, the Minister’s Cup, just last week.

Menifee, who is streets ahead in the leading sire race this year, accounts for five of the ten entries. Fantastic Jazz, a half-brother of 2008 Korean Derby winner Ebony Storm (who, now a gelding, and still running at the top-level will be running a race later) goes into the race unbeaten from three starts.

Here are the runners and riders with pedigrees and race records. As per Triple Crown rules, all are Korean bred:

Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – 1200M – October 21, 15:50

1. Rising Joy [Forest Camp – Joy Ride (Future Quest)] (4/1/2/0) – Jo Sung Gon
2. Long Speed [Commendable – Speed Bag (Abaginine)] (3/1/1/0) – Lee Hee Cheon
3. Choesin Mujeok [Forest Camp – Geumseong (Psychobabble)] (2/2/0/0) – Kim Young Min
4. Yapung [Menifee – Wild Life (Wild Again)] (4/2/1/0) – Park Geum Man
5. Pureun Energy (filly) [Menifee – Cheongsan Ilho (Nediym)] (3/1/2/0) – Lim Sung Sil
6. Fantastic Jazz [Menifee – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] (3/3/0/0) – Kim Yong Geun
7. Jeongsang Jeongbok [Menifee – Benbane Head (Giant’s Causeway)] (5/2/0/1) – Song Keong Yun
8. Gangjaui Miso [Volponi – Watch Me Raw (Encosta De Lago)] (2/1/0/1) – You Hyun Myung
9. Global Gangja [Pico Central – Gosokcheol (Big Sur)] (4/3/0/0) – Choi Si Dae
10. Miss Quick [Menifee – Regal Heir (Regal Intention)] (2/1/0/0) – Kanichiro Fujii

It’s going to be a busy weekend. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday October 19

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 11:50 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:45 to 17:40

Saturday October 20

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:45
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:10

Sunday October 21

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00 including the KRA Cup Classic at 16:20
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:45 including the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup at 15:50