Day: November 28, 2013

Weekend Preview: The “Breeders’ Cup” – Juvenile Championship To Be Decided at Seoul

The best 2-year olds from Seoul and Busan meet for the first time this Sunday in the Breeders’ Cup, the nation’s championship Juvenile race

Winter time in Seoul: It's been cold this week but it's set for a warmer weekend

Winter time in Seoul: It’s been cold this week but it’s set for a warmer weekend

Raon Morris and Jungang Gongju won Seoul and Busan’s respective big 2-year-old races back in October and they are joined by 14 others as they step up a furlong to compete for the overall title of Champion 2-year-old.

Seven fillies take their chance and two of them, Art Nouveau and Geumbit Hwanhui. Meanwhile two foreign jockeys from Busan will be in town. Joe Fujii partners Queen’s Blade – which means it is to be watched very carefully – while Jerome Lermyte makes his capital debut on Namdo Trio.

Here’s the full field (Name [Sire] Sex (Starts/1/2/3) – Jockey (Home track):

Breeders’ Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – December 1, 2013 – 15:45

1. Gangchi [Volponi] C (5/2/0/1) – Lim Sung Sil (Busan)
2. Art Nouveau [Menifee] F (2/2/0/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho (Seoul)
3. Sangseung Janggun [One Cool Cat] C (6/2/1/0) – Park Geum Man (Busan)
4. Raon Morris [Yankee Victor] C (4/3/1/0) – Moon Se Young (Seoul)
5. Queen’s Blade [Menifee] F (4/2/2/0) – Kanichiro Fujii
6. Cheonwang Dungi [Didyme] C (5/2/2/0) – Shin Hyoung Chul
7. Yeonggwanguichampion [Menifee] C (3/2/0/1) – Song Keong Yun (Busan)
8. Nubi Queen [Menifee] F (5/2/1/0) – Jo In Kwen (Seoul)
9. Korea Hunter [One Cool Cat] C (6/0/3/1) – Mun Jung Won (Busan)
10. Secret Garden [Archer City Slew] F (5/2/0/1) – Kim Young Min (Busan)
11. Geumbit Hwanhui [Peace Rules] F (2/2/0/0) – Jang Chu Youl (Seoul)
12. Forever Daemul [Exploit] C (4/2/0/2) – Park Tae Jong (Seoul)
13. Cheongnyong Bisang [Volponi] C (4/2/0/0) – Seo Seung Un (Seoul)
14. Namdo Trio [Didyme] C (4/1/2/0) – Jerome Lermyte (Busan)
15. Pureun Geotap [Menifee] F (5/1/1/1) – Lee Chan Ho (Seoul)
16. Jungang Gongju [Menifee] F (4/2/2/0) – Choi Si Dae (Busan)

Here’s what’s happening when and where this weekend:

Friday November 29
Busan Race Park: 11 races from 11:50 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:10 to 17:40

Saturday November 30
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:10

Sunday December 1
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00 including the Breeders’ Cup at 15:45
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:00

Grand Prix Voting Results: Jigeum I Sungan, Beolmaui Kkum Top Poll

The results of the public vote for invitations to the Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul Race Park on December 15 were published today.

Popular: Jigeum I Sungan

Popular: Jigeum I Sungan

Like Japan’s “Arima Kinen” the public gets to choose which horses they want to see run in the season-ending showpiece. This year 42 horses – 21 each from Seoul and Busan – were on the ballot with the top 8 from each track getting the first invites to fill the maximum field size of 16.

Connections are still under no obligation to run but it is expected that most will. 2012 Korean Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan topped the Seoul vote with Smarty Moonhak, 3rd in the race as a 2-year-old in 2011, just behind him. That year’s Grand Prix winner Tough Win was the public’s 3rd choice.

At Busan, Gukje Sinmun winner Beolmaui Kkum headed the poll with recent President’s Cup winner Indie Band in 2nd place ahead of Gyeongbudaero. 2012 Grand Prix winner Gamdonguibada was 4th in the Busan vote.

Peter Wolsley’s Governor’s cup heroine Secret Whisper is sure of a run, having come in 5th but the Aussie trainer’s other hope, Cheongchun Bulpae is missing out at the moment.

Here’s a list of the top 10 vote-getters at each track with their 2013 Stakes race wins (if any) listed:

Seoul Top 10

1. Jigeum I Sungan (KOR) – Seoul Owners’ Cup, Jeju Governor’s Cup
2. Smarty Moonhak (USA)
3. Tough Win (USA) – Busan Metropolitan Stakes
4. Mari Daemul (USA) – KRA Cup Classic
5. Indian Blue (USA) – Segye Ilbo Cup
6. Gippeun Sesang (CAN)
7. Murangae (USA)
8=. Mr. Rocky (KOR)
9=. Berongi (USA)

Busan Top 10

1. Beolmaui Kkum (USA) – Gukje Sinmun Cup
2. Indie Band (KOR) – President’s Cup, Gyeongnam DoMin Ilbo Cup
3. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) – Busan Owners’ Cup
4. Gamdonguibada (USA)
5. Secret Whisper (KOR) – Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup
6. Useung Touch (KOR) – Ttukseom Cup
7. Cheonji Bulpae (AUS)
8. Lion Santa (USA)
9. Cheongchun Bulpae (KOR)
10. Nuri Choegang (USA)