Horse Racing

Baekgwang Set for SBS Cup Return

Former Champion battled back from likely career-ending injury
It didn’t seem possible but the “White Light” could be just days away from returning to racing. Champion three year old of 2006, Baekgwang, is amongst the early entries for the SBS Cup which will be run at Seoul Race Park on Sunday July 19.

It took Baekgwang [The Groom is Red – Grey Crest (Gold Crest)] three races to break his maiden and after showing promise in the early part of his three year old season, he was beaten into third place in the 2006 Korean Derby by 85/1 outsider Baengnokjeong . Following this, he embarked on a golden late summer and autumn, landing the Munhwa Ilbo and Donga Ilbo Cups in quick succession before going to claim the Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the Triple Crown, in October that year.

His form would continue into 2007 in which he won his first four outings. With his distinctive light grey coat and his come from behind running style, which made for some thrilling finishes, he was a firm favourite of the racing public – even if his tendency to lay-in in the home straight was maddening for some punters. With J.S. Hold dominating the three year old ranks that year a likely season ending showdown between the two in the 2007 Grand Prix, looked set to be Korean racing’s most hotly anticipated race in history.

Neither of them would make it there. An already less than fully fit J.S. Hold would suffer a career ending injury in the process of making history in the Minister’s Cup by winning Korea’s first Triple Crown. Meanwhile Baekgwang suffered an injury in September that would keep him off the track until April of 2008. His return came in the Ttukseom Cup. Coming through late as ever, he hit the front with 150 metres left to run only for Namchonuijijon, a contemporary of J.S. Hold, to come through even later to pip him him on the line. After the race, it emerged Baekgwang had suffered ligament damage to his right foreleg. Automatically stood down by the stewards for a minimum one year, it seemed his career was over.

Sent to Jeju Island for recuperation, Baekgwang underwent a series of reportedly pioneering operations and, to the surprise of many, returned to his box at Seoul Race Park earlier this year. He began working out in May and, on June 12, breezed through an official race trial over five furlongs and was given the all clear to race again. Baekgwang now finds himself entered in the SBS Cup, a race won by his little sister Baekpa last year.

If he makes it to the starting gate, he is once again likely to find himself once again alongside Namchonuijijon as well as Natural Nine and Sports Chosun winner Wangson. For race fans, whether he wins or loses, seeing a fit Baekgwang once again is going to raise smiles and bring back memories. All will hope he comes back to the barn safely this time. We’ll have a full preview of the SBS Cup – with or without Baekgwang – on Thursday next week. In the meantime, here is Baekgwang’s biggest victory, the 2006 Minister’s Cup:

Photo finish…

These chaps were on the right end of the photograph for second place in race 9 at Seoul on Saturday, which brought home their quinella after a five minute wait…

Photo Finish

Korearacing only has two hands and while at the track a form guide is generally in one and a pen (or something containing caffeine) is in the other. No room for cameras. Seoul based photographer “letsbook” was at the track Saturday, however, and while he may be an even worse handicapper than your correspondent, he knows how to take a picture.

shin-hyoung-cheol

He only took a few but hopefully we’ll get him back before too long to take some more.

The future…

The future...

You can find letsbook’s photostream here.

Holy Dreamer Makes It Five

Unbeaten streak continues / Foreign jocks finally have their day
It wasn’t quite as easy as it could have been, but while Hanbatanguseum and Isfahan Teukgeup fought tooth and nail for second place, ahead of them Holy Dreamer took the line to make it five wins from five starts at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

The three year old Holy Dreamer [Duality – Nice Weather (Future Storm)] debuted in March and today stepped up to category 3 level for the first time. Moon Se Young kept the gelding towards the front throughout most of the 1700 metre race before heading into the lead as they entered the home straight.

The small winning margin of a length and a half owed a lot to the battle behind them as the stewards took nearly ten minutes to decide that Hanbatanguseum had dipped his head at the right time to claim second. Holy Dreamer meanwhile will have tougher challenges to face in the future.

Earlier on a day of low-key racing, Japanese rider Toshiyuki Katoh scored his first victory in Korea with just his fourth ride. Katoh guided filly Dolpunguihaek to victory in race 1. It was a good day for the small Japanese contingent at Seoul with Nozomu Tomizawa also amongst the winners, landing race 5 on Melody Again.

Indeed it has been a good weekend all round so far for the international contingent in Korea. At Busan Race Park on Friday, Stephan Swanepoel claimed what was not only his first win since moving to the southern track, but his first win in fifty mounts since arriving in Korea. That he has only been offered fifty rides since March speaks volumes about why the South African asked to be transferred to Busan, which has a reputation of being slightly more foreigner friendly than Seoul – there’s no jockeys’ union for a start. Swanepoel was a four length winner on Powerful Spark in race 6.

Holy Dreamer isn’t alone in going five for five this weekend. With Eiki Nishimura and Martin Wepner also winning at Busan yesterday, all five overseas riders have been in the Winner’s Circle over the past two days – most likely the first time this has happened. Both Nishimura and Wepner will shortly be at the end of their contracts but hopefully for Katoh and Swanepoel, these first winners will be the first of many.

Back at Seoul today there were co-feature races, one for local bred horses and one for overseas. Torpedo Mast took the overseas event while Gayawangbi was successful in the local race.

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Rare Racing Mention in the KT

Just as in most countries these days, racing in Korea doesn’t get a lot of mentions in the traditional media. While YTN News carried a twenty five second report of Park Tae Jong reaching 1500 career winners last week, generally it is only the slightly trashier “Sports” editions of the newspapers that cover goings-on at the track, in between photographs of the local schoolgirls getting wet.

Coverage is even less common in the English langauge media, so it was surprising to see yesterday’s racing on Haeundae beach at Busan featured in the Photo-News section of the Korea Times today.

Korea Times, July 2, 2009

Korea Times, July 2, 2009

The racing was held as part of Haeundae Beach’s “Opening Ceremony”. Korea has an official beach going season and that began on July 1. That means that while the last month may have seen better beach weather, now it is the official thing to do, this coming weekend is sure to see everybody heading there and it will probably look something like this.

It won’t be pleasant, so come racing instead!

Fillies Set for Oaks Trial – Sports Seoul Preview

Ten fillies will line up when the Sports Seoul Cup, Seoul Race Park’s main Korean Oaks trial race goes to post on Sunday afternoon. Whether any of the ten will eventually travel down to Busan in August to potentially face double classic winner Sangseung Ilro at her home track is another matter but in any case, the Sports Seoul looks an entertaining race in its own right.

The most experienced filly in the race is Love Cat. Sent to Busan to race the colts (and of course, one other filly) in the KRA Cup Mile in April, she wasn’t able to do herself justice. Off the track since, she will still have plenty of backers.

She’ll be up against a number of fillies who have impressed at sprint distances but have yet to appear over anything approaching the 1700 metres this race will be contested at. Isanghwa, Good Leader, Morning Rush and Ganghan Speed fall into this category as do the lightly raced Tummim and Jeongsang Cheonji. Abigail is the only other filly with form over this distance.

The Sports Seoul is one of Korea’s longest established races with its first running in 1986. It only became restricted to female horses in 2004 and to three year olds in 2006. Baekpa won the race in 2007 before going on to land the Oaks later in the year, however, last year’s winner Samsimnyeonsarang has since failed to live up to her promise.

Full list of runners, pedigree, race records and riders:

Sports Seoul – Seoul Race Park – 1700M – June 27, 2009

1. Love Cat [Creek Cat – Love Cue (Curia Regis)] – (9/5/0/2) – Choi Beom Hyun
Hasn’t run since her disappointing eleventh in the KRA Cup Mile at Busan. Before that she won twice over this distance. Currently races several classes above anything else in this race.
2. Ganghan Speed [Lethal Instrument – Devil’s Mama (Devil’s Bag)] – (8/3/1/1) – Yoo Sang Wan
Has beaten some useful horses at shorter distances.
3. Good Leader [War Zone – Kkummaeul (Curia Regis)] – (8/3/0/0) – Moon Jung Kyun
Returned to form last time out after some poor efforts during the Spring.
4. Victor Hunter [Social Charter – Angel’s Walk (Commemorate)] – (8/0/2/3) – Kim Ok Sung
The only maiden in the race and little to suggest that she’s going to break it here.
5. Tummim [Lost Mountain – Skip The Trial (Skip Trial)] – (4/2/1/1) – Moon Se Young
Won impressively last time out and is an interesting prospect if she makes the step up in distance.
6. Rose Cat [Creek Cat – Rose Bouton (Somethingdifferent)] – (8/2/2/1) – Park Tae Jong
The other “Cat” in the race, she took on the foreign horses last time out in the STC Trophy race but finished a well beaten 10th.
7. Morning Rush [Al Naba – Ireun Achim (Psychobabble)] – (4/2/0/0) – Shin Hyoung Cheol
A smart winner last time out, she’s never gone more than six furlongs.
8. Abigail [Exploit – La Finale (Dunbeath)] – (6/1/3/1) – Oh Kyoung Hoan
A rare Korean bred winner of a race open to foreign horses in April bumped her up in class, she finished third behind the unbeaten gelding Holy Dreamer over this distance.
9. Isanghwa [Didyme – Sugar Lips (Miswaki)] – (6/3/1/0) – Ham Wan Sik
Has won three of her last four and must be considered.
10. Jeongsang Cheonji [Didyme – Gypsy Fire (Best Western)] – Jun Deok Young
She’s only run three times and won two of them. Has been off the track since early April when she breezed to a seven length victory over decent opposition.

Notes From an Island

While Dongbanui Gangja was storming to the Owners’ Trophy at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon, down on Jeju one of the island track’s biggest races of the season was also taking place.

This blog generally neglects the racing at Jeju Race Park. Contested between Jeju ponies that are native to the island, there is no studbook and, as seasoned punters at Seoul will tell you, it is notoriously difficult to handicap. Plus it always seems to rain.

Jeju ponies are strong and although the jockeys maintain their weight at similar levels to their thoroughbred counterparts, for some handicaps, even your correspondent would have a shot at making weight. For Sunday’s Jeju Ilbo Cup, top weight and favourite Hanramyeongseng carried 74 kilos. Most races are open to all ages and while most are young, there are a number of ponies who start their careers very late and a handful of ponies still run at twenty years of age or older.

In Sunday’s race, Hanramyeongseng never featured at the front. Just as he had in the corresponding race last year, Dongdaemunuikkum set a frenetic early pace. Last year, he faded to third with the line in sight, this time he went with a furlong remaining and third favourite Hwanghaemyengsan came through to claim victory (carrying 71 kilos). It was the three year old’s tenth win in seventeen races.

Jeju has an odd relationship with horses. Legend has it that Mongol invaders brought their own horses to the island and cross-bred them with the native ponies resulting in the distinctive pony which still survives today. Amid fears that they were dying out in the 1980’s as they ceased to be required in their traditional agricultural roles, the Korean government designated the ponies “National Monument Number 347” and mandated the Korea Racing Authority to set up the apparatus necessary to save the species. That apparatus took the form of Jeju Race Park and pari-mutuel betting.

On the other hand, Jeju is the only part of Korea where there is any significant market for horse meat (as this rather weird article from the English language edition of the Chosun Ilbo from 2006 rather too gleefully explains) and organisers of the island’s annual Daeboreum Fire Festival were disappointed at being banned from including horse-fighting on their list of attractions this year.

Jeju plays an important role in the Korean throughbred racing industry – most breeding farms are on the island and many young horses undergo their initial breaking in and training there. It is the ponies though that make this island a unique outpost of racing.

Jeju News Cup – Jeju Race Park – 900M (Hdcp) – June 21, 2009

1. Hwanghemyengsan – Jang Woo Sung – 3.9
2. Baengnokgunji – Jung Myoung Il – 24.3
2. Yeongsangsegye – Park Hoon – 67.9
Distances: 2 lengths/0.75 lengths – 10 ran

Baekpa Soundly Beaten at Delaware Park

In the end it wasn’t too bad – one other horse got tailed off too. However, in the slop at Delaware Park late yesterday, Baekpa finished last on her US racing debut. For any masochistic Korean racing fans, here’s the video:

Providing she came through yesterday’s experience intact, Baekpa is likely to run twice more before returning to Korea. Thanks to fpop for the video.

Korean Derby Countdown – The Home Team

Busan’s six challengers will be met on the sand of Gwacheon by eight horses looking to write their own name into Korean racing history and in doing so, halt Busan’s remarkable run of Classic wins.

Among Seoul’s entrants is the likely favorite. Nice Choice was champion two year old in 2008 and having been campaigned this term solely with the Derby in mind, will be the one to beat on Sunday. If Nice Choice doesn’t produce the goods, however, it would take an upset to see the Derby trophy remain in the capital.

Nice Choice [Lost Mountain – Betty’s Rhapsody (Don’t Hesitate)] – (6/4/2/0)
If he had won last time out, there would be no justification for betting against him. However, he was engaged in a stretch battle and lost. Nice Choice will still be a worthy favourite but will be worth taking on.

Triple Canon [Tahamkke – Tamna Jeilbong (Lost Mountain)] – (7/4/2/0)
He’s won over the distance and last time out beat Symphony Sonata, the highly rated – and well bred – four year old. Must be considered

Red Ball [Lethal Instrument – Wildly Magic (Pieterhof)] – (8/4/0/1)
Won three in a row before stepping up to the Derby distance and finishing well beaten.

Seokcheong [Fiercely – Miss Geology (Jade Hunter)] – (6/4/1/1)
Jockey Park Tae Jong has won more Derbys than anyone and his mount has won over the distance. A possible.

Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] – (9/4/1/1)
Has had the Derby in mind for a long time but finished behind Seokcheong last time out.

Khanui Jeguk [Sunday Well – Lucky Dip (Didyme)] – (7/3/1/1)
Has won his last three but against significantly weaker opposition than he’ll face on Sunday. Will need to improve to compete.

Khanui Huye [The Groom Is Red – Noble Michelle (Flow Technology)] – (7/2/2/0)
Ran poorly last time out and has never won at a higher level than class 5.

Money Teukgeup[Ft. Stockton – Headwork (Silveyville)] – (8/2/3/1)
One of only two Seoul horses to contest the KRA Cup Mile, there were no grounds to support him in that race and following a seventh place finish, no grounds to support him here.

Korean Derby Countdown – The Southern Raiders

Whether it is the milder winters, the sea air, the uphill back-straight at Busan – or even the stronger liquor in Gyeongnam Province, horses from Busan have won the last four Triple Crown races. Rainmaker, Ebony Storm and Gaeseon Janggun did the honours last year, while Sangseung Ilro claimed the KRA Cup Mile for the home team last month – a race for which only two Seoul horses bothered to ship down for.

Seoul’s most promising three year-old, Nice Choice, was among those whose connections opted not to venture south last month, preferring to concentrate entirely on the Derby. Six Busan horses will be coming to coming to him, however, and there is every chance that they could continue the dominance of Korea’s supposedly second track.

Leading the Southern charge will be the filly Sangseung Ilro. It looks like jockey Eiki Nishimura won’t be with her (more on that tomorrow), but the KRA Cup Mile winner will be joined by Namdo Jeap and Yeonseung Daero, who ran second and third in that race as well as Sky Star, the filly Pangpang and late entry, Impeccable. Here is the run down on the Busan entrants, with pedigree and race records:

Sangseung Ilro (F) [Concept Win – Miss Whiskey (Whiskey Wisdom)] – (6/4/1/1) – We know what she is capable of. She came into the KRA Cup Mile relatively unfancied but finished with a flourish to take the honours.

Yeonseung Daero [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – (8/5/1/2) – Favourite going into the KRA Cup Mile and should be well-fancied again.

Namdo Jeap [Ft. Stockton – Wandering Katie (Tejano)] – (6/3/2/1) – Half brother to last year’s Cup Mile winner Rainmaker and stablemate to Yeonseung Daero, the Cup Mile was his first test at anything over six furlongs. He passed it and while victory may be too much to ask, he must be considered for a place.

Sky Star [Tahamkke – Blue Lark (Ravenwood)] – (10/5/1/0) – Ran poorly in the Cup Mile but returned just two weeks later to win over the Derby distance. A contender.

Pangpang (F) [Revere – Awishnotalark (Rio’s Lark)] – (11/3/0/1) – The only one of the Busan horses that it is difficult to make a case for. Finished well down the field in the Cup Mile and although she bounced back with a win at the end of April, she dropped down in distance and class to do it.

Impeccable [Distilled – Bellebreezy (Foolish Pleasure)] – (6/4/0/0) – The enigma. A late entry in the Derby, he won his first four outings with ease but came unstuck in the Cup Mile. On May 1, he came back and at odds-on, finished fourth against the same calibre of opposition he’d easily defeated in the past. Punters will have to make the decision if those last two outings were the exception. Impeccable will be the choice of those wishing to see Peter Wolsley become the first foreign trainer to win the Korean Derby. Last year’s winner Ebony Storm is now in his barn, but was under different supervision when he caused the biggest shock in Derby history twelve months ago.

Korean Derby – Past Winners

2009 Derby in D-6 – Sangseung Ilro would be fifth filly to win
The Derby is a relatively recent addition to the Korean racing year. Except for during the Korean War, racing has been running on the peninsula continuously since the 1920’s, however, the calendar as we know it today only really started to take shape in the 1980’s. The Ilgan Sports Cup and the Grand Prix started things off with both being run for the first time in 1985.

The introduction of the private ownership of race-horses – and therefore prize money – accelerated the creation of big Stakes races in the 1990s and finally in 1998, the Derby was run for the first time.

In the eleven editions run so far, seven colts and four fillies have taken the prize which for its first three years was run over just seven furlongs before moving up to its current nine in 2001. Here are those winners with pedigree and jockey:

2008: Ebony Storm [Buster’s Daydream – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] – Shim Seung Tae – Last year was the first time that Busan’s best three year olds were invited up to Seoul to contest the Derby and it was one of those visitors, Ebony Storm, the longest shot on the board, who took victory in a monsoon downpour.

2007: J.S. Hold [Ft. Stockton – Hwangsangjiljoo (Passetreul)] – Moon Jung Kyun – Widely considered the best Korean bred horse ever. J.S. Hold landed the inaugural Triple Crown injuring himself in the final race and not returning to the track. He is about to commence his first season of stud duties.

2006: Baengnokjeong [Slew O’Green – Lesu Run (Proper Reality)] – Hwang Soon Do – The rank outsider at over 80-1 on Derby day, Baengnokjeong was at the time, the longest priced horse to win the Derby.

2005: Saebyeok Dongja [Fiercely – Cheongpa (The Rodgers Four)] – Chun Chang Ki – Still racing at the top level, he came fourth in last year’s President’s Cup. Jockey Chun Chang Ki will saddle his first Derby runner as trainer when Seokcheong lines up on Sunday.

2004: Mupae Gangja [Didyme – A Heun A Hop Kan (Kinsky)] – Kim Hyo Seob – One of the top colts of this decade, Mupae Gangja won ten of his sixteen races including the Chairman’s Trophy and Minister’s Cup along with the Derby in 2004

2003: Habidongju [Silent Warrior – Kahwa (Zoffany)] – Park Tae Jong – The last filly to win to date.

2002: Haeam Janggun [Didyme – Ronde (Toast The Champ)] – Lim Dae Gyu – Ronde foaled her second Derby winner in as many years with this filly who won eight of her fourteen races and gave the late Lim Dae Gyu a Derby victory.

2001: Haetpit Maeul [Mujaazif – Ronde (Toast The Champ)] – Ji Ha Ju – Starting a run of three consecutive years of filly triumphs was Haetpit Maeul. Now a broodmare, her colt Haedong Teukgeup got his first win last month.

2000: Haekdol’pung [Lost Mountain – Swift Diplomacy (Nice Pirate)] – Park Tae Jong – Korea’s top jockey got his second straight Derby win on the favourite. It was tight though with Haekdol’pung getting the verdict in a three way photograph.

1999: Manseokkkeun [Fiercely – Komplication (Kris. S)] – Park Tae Jong – Yes, he really did have three consecutive ‘k’s in his name. Park Tae Jong got the first of his three Derby winners on the colt whose sire, Fiercely, died earlier this year.

1998: Useung Yegam [Happy Jazz Band – Man Jang Dae()] – Song Seok Hen – Nine of the 14 runners in the first Derby were fillies and the favourite Useung Yegam, whose dam wasn’t even in the studbook, took the honours by a length.