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Asia Challenge Cup: Korea vs. Japan vs. Singapore

After last summer’s successful Korea/Japan Goodwill Cup, this year the race has been extended to runners from Singapore and on August 31, three Singaporean-trained horses and three from Japan will join eight from Korea in what will be the first ever International Invitational race to be run on the peninsula. The race will be shown live on TV in Korea on the SBS Sports Channel and there will also be a live simulcast to Singapore.

Tosen Archer poses for the cameras after winning the SBS Goodwill Cup last year

Tosen Archer poses for the cameras after winning the SBS Goodwill Cup last year

The star attraction is set to be well-known Singapore based sprinter El Padrino but he will face tough competition from fellow Kranji runner Trudeau. For the home team, Watts Village, who pulled off a remarkable victory in Tokyo last November, will aim to repeat his heroics. He’ll be joined by Fly Top Queen and Wonder Bolt as well as Cowboy Son and New York Blue, who will be making the trip up from Busan.

SBS will be showing the Asia Challenge Cup live on August 31

SBS will be showing the Asia Challenge Cup live on August 31

Here’s a full run-down of the likely runners:

ASIA CHALLENGE CUP – 1400M – SEOUL RACECOURSE – AUG 31, 2014

SINGAPORE

EL PADRINO (NZ) [Mr. Nancho – Crownie (Luskin Star)] 6-year-old Gelding (28/7/5/4) – One of Asia’s top Sprinters, El Padrino won the Merlion Cup, the first leg of Singapore’s Sprint Series, in March this year. He has also run and won in Dubai. He was 6th in the Krisflyer International Sprint in May this year and his Merlion victory earned him an invitation to the Golden Shaheen at this year’s Dubai World Cup. He didn’t go but he will be looking for international glory in Seoul instead.

TRUDEAU (AUS) [Exceed And Excel – Canadian Legacy (Kris)] 7-year-old Gelding (33/7/5/9) – A surprise winner of the Garden City Trophy in Singapore last September, he followed that up with another victory a month later. He comes to Korea having won a Malaysian Group 1 race in June and with Noel “King” Callow, the winner of last year’s Seoul International Jockey Challenge, on board Trudeau could have a very good chance.

SPEEDY CAT (NZ) [Scaredee Cat – Lane Cove (Magic Of Sydney)] 6-year-old gelding (35/8/7/5) – This very experienced horse has eight career wins to his name including two at this distance, one of which was last year’s Singapore Stewards’ Cup. Yet to win in 2014 but he has gone close and can’t be ruled out.

JAPAN

CHOCOLAT VERRINE (JPN) [Gold Allure – Breezy Woods (Timber County)] 5-year-old Mare (24/6/5/3) – Runner-up in the Narashino Kirrato Sprint at Funabashi in July, Chocolat Verrine comes into this race in fine form, having finished outside the top two only once in five starts in 2014.

TOSHI GANG STAR (JPN) [Kurofune – Pisa no Birkin (Sunday Silence)] 7-year-old Horse (46/4/6/0) – A vastly experienced horse, Toshi Gang Star has two big race wins to his name. He’s only run four times so far in 2014 with a 2nd place at Ohi his best result. Returning to the track for the first time in April, a change of scenery in Seoul could be just what he needs.

PIERRE TIGER (JPN) [Cacoethes – Be Fragrant (Daitaku Helios)] 6-year-old Horse (38/13/5/4) – Recently back in action after a 5-month layoff, Pierre Tiger has two stakes wins among his thirteen career victories to date. His biggest win came in the 2012 Mile Grand Prix at Ohi. His best performance in three runs this year was a 3rd place finish over a mile at Kawasaki.

KOREA

WATTS VILLAGE (USA) [Forestry – Edey’s Village (Silver Deputy)] 4-year-old Colt (14/6/4) – Secured his place in Korean racing history by being the first Korean-trained horse to win overseas when he won the Interaction Cup at Ohi Racecourse in Tokyo last November. He was 2nd in this race last year. Recently returned after a six-month layoff, finishing 2nd behind Wonder Bolt in his first race back and should improve.

FLY TOP QUEEN (USA) [Henny Hughes – Cape Discovery (Cape Town)] 4-year-old Filly (9/6/1/1) – The most expensive racehorse ever imported to Korea, Fly Top Queen has won 6 of her 9 starts to date including the Segye Ilbo Cup this February. A very quick sprinter, she had an off-day in her last start, finishing 3rd behind Wonder Bolt and Watts Village. She can run much better than that.

WONDER BOLT (USA) [Desert Warrior – Little Champ (Great Gladiator)] 4-year-old Colt (19/5/7/1) – Currently the hottest sprinter in Seoul following his 9-length demolition of Watts Village and Fly Top Queen in mid-July. Very experienced and versatile – he was 5th in last year’s Grand Prix Stakes; he comes into this race in the form of his life.

PERSIA WANGJA (CAN) [Ghostzapper – Dynamite Dancer (Lite The Fuse)] 3-year-old Colt (10/5/1/1) – Has won his last two races, both of them at this distance and looks ready to challenge some of the more established sprinters. Like Wonder Bolt, he can run at any distance but 1400 metres is his best.

CHANGIPARANG (USA) [Touch Gold – Victory Roll (Deerhound)] 5-year-old Mare (27/2/5/3) – A reliable mare with a lot of experience under her belt but only two wins. She regularly picks up prize money but she will be a big outsider to do so here.

BICHUI JEONGSANG (USA) [Wildcat Heir – Persimmon Honey (Colonial Affair)] 3-year-old filly (6/4/2/0) – Lightly raced, Bichui Jeongsang has won four of her six starts to date including a comfortable victory in the JRA Trophy in May. She was second on her last start in June but remains one of Seoul’s most promising fillies.

COWBOY SON (USA) [Cowboy Cal – Nosmallachievement (Smart Strike)] (11/8/1/2) 3-year-old colt – Having finished third in the Busan Mayor’s Trophy in July, Cowboy Son drops back to his favored sprint distance for his first visit to Seoul. He is his sire’s highest earner anyway in the world and one of the most formidable sprinters in Korea.

NEW YORK BLUE (USA) [Candy Ride – Aim For The Moon (Deputy Minister)] (11/5/4/0) 3-year-old filly – She was second in her first Stakes race, the KNN Cup, at Busan in June and followed it up with a dominant three-length win last month against strong opposition. A likely front-runner, she could be very dangerous on her Seoul Racecourse debut.

INDIAN BLUE (USA) [Henny Hughes – Gambler’s Passion (Prospector’s Gamble)] (18/5/4/4) 4-year-old filly – Firmly as one of Seoul’s top horses at any distance, her win record doesn’t reflect her true ability. She was 2nd in last year’s KRA Cup Classic and 4th in the Grand Prix Stakes. She beat Watts Village earlier this year and, while she may not be able to win this, she could be close.

Magnificent Moon Se Young – 1,000 Up

Moon Se Young today went where only one Korean man has ever gone before and rode his 1000th winner.

Moon Se Young greets punters after his 1000th winner

Moon Se Young greets punters after his 1000th winner

A four-timer last Sunday had taken him to the brink and while he couldn’t quite close it out in the rain last week, it didn’t take him very long today.

Riding Cheonha Miin in race 1, a horse who under any other jockey would probably have been 2nd or 3rd favourite but under Moon was odds-on, he settled just off the pace, before finding the rail in the home straight and guiding his filly to a comfortable win.

An Hyo Ri greets Moon Se Young in the winner's circle

An Hyo Ri greets Moon Se Young in the winner’s circle

There was no overt celebration; a brief handshake with 2nd placed jockey Choi Won Joon as they pulled up was the only sign that this was anything other than another routine victory.

Indeed back in the winner’s circle, Moon tried to play it down, however, the presence of a KRA broadcast team and a large number of well-wishing punters scuppered that idea.

After a brief interview, Moon was ambushed by the several female members of the jockey colony who, just like those punters who had gathered, were determined not to let such an occasion pass without due recognition.

1,000 winners may not sound like a lot, especially for a 33-year-old. However, Korea is a little different. Moon Se Young qualified in 2001, in an age when jockeys were restricted to just 5 rides a week. Not a day, a week. Even when that restriction was lifted – and after Moon had served his time in the military – he could (and still can) only race 2 days a week; an absolute maximum of 20 rides.

An unconventional means of congratulations from Lee Ah Na

An unconventional means of congratulations from Lee Ah Na

Yet in that time, Moon Se Young has won everything. Among almost every big Stakes race, his most memorable victories came in the 2007 Grand Prix Stakes on Bally Brae in 2007 and then in a string of big races, including the Korean Derby in 2012, on the remarkable Jigeum I Sungan.

Only “President” Park Tae Jong has won more races than Moon. Park, 15 years Moon’s senior, is currently out injured but is approaching 2,000 winners. He is probably the only jockey who is a household name in Korea.

Moon Se Young, one of Korea’s great sportsmen, must soon be approaching that status. He finished the day on 1,002 winners.

Race 1 – Seoul Racecourse – 1300M – August 16, 2014

1. Cheonha Miin (KOR) – Moon Se Young – 1.9, 1.4
2. Royal Power (KOR) – Choi Won Joon – 3.3
3. Morning Heights (KOR) – Lim Gi Won – 1.2
Distances: 1.75 lengths/2.5 lengths – 7 ran

Round-Up: Fujii Has Surgery, Korean Horses Back From US, Yongsan OTB Controversy Rumbles On

Lots to catch up on…

Lets Run

Joe Fujii underwent surgery on his broken shoulder on Monday. Fujii fell heavily coming out of the gate in race 4 at Busan last Sunday, breaking his scapula. While he was originally hopeful of being back within 6 to 8 weeks, a visit to a Seoul specialist confirmed the need for an operation which is likely to keep him out for between 3 to 4 months. The Japanese rider hopes to be back in time for either the Busan Owners’ Cup or the President’s Cup at Seoul.

Speaking of falls, Park Tae Jong, is currently sidelined from a bad one suffered a month ago. “President” Park is currently on 1881 winners, by far the most of all time by a Korean jockey. However, he could be about to have company in the “Thousand Club” after Moon Se Young’s victory on Yeongsan II on Sunday took the 33-year-old to 987.

Three Korean horses arrived back from the United States last week and will go through a Seoul sales ring in a few days time. Gangnam Camp, Seoul Bullet and Better Than You have spent the past 17 months in Ocala training and, more recently racing. None of the three actually managed to win a race Stateside.

Gangnam Camp managed a 2nd place from his 7 starts while Seoul Bullet secured one 3rd place from his 4. Better Than You, however, was unplaced in all of his 4 starts. Seoul Bullet did achieve the rather dubious honour of getting himself claimed at one point though.

2013 Minister’s Cup winner Major King, who had been racing fruitlessly in the North-East US for the past few months, joined them on the flight home, however, last year’s Derby and Oaks winning filly Speedy First remains in the US.

Meanwhile, there is no end in sight to the long-running dispute over the relocation of the KRA’s off-site betting Plaza in Seoul’s Yongsan district. The new plaza finally opened amid tight security and vehement protest at the end of June and the dispute – originally started by the fact that the new Plaza is a block closer to a school than the old one – has now become something of a political football between governing and opposition parties.

Counter protests by Unions with interests in the racing industry have also taken place at the site with the most memorable banner being one imploring the other side to “Please Stop Insulting Racing Fans”, a reference to the ongoing campaign against the Plaza which has, among other things, sought to link the presence of Plazas with a rise in sex-crimes.

Pro-Plaza counter-protestors at Yongsan

Pro-Plaza counter-protestors at Yongsan

While the KRA has been busy producing glossy videos on the history of the Plazas and the community facilities they provide on non race-days, playing those videos at Seoul Racecourse seems somewhat like preaching to the converted. It’s certainly unlikely to change the minds of the anti-Plaza campaign which has raised a petition with 50,000 signatures calling for the Plaza’s closure.

Best to finish on news from the track and this coming Sunday sees the Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Stakes – colloquially known as the “Summer Grand Prix”. It’s been the lowest key build-up to the Metropolitan since Seoul horses became eligible to run a few years ago although the expected presence of the likes of Oreuse, Gamdonguibada, Cheonji Bulpae, Cowboy Son and Indian Blue among others, should make for an interesting race. We’ll start the full previews later this week.

The Dazzler Bows Out Of Busan

Darryll Holland has returned to the UK after a successful 16 month stint in Korea. The British jockey racked up 66 winners from 350 rides in his time here, which puts him in 6th place in the all-time list of foreign jockeys to ride in Korea.

Darryll Holland (Pic: Ross Holburt)

Darryll Holland (Pic: Ross Holburt)

A few eyebrows were raised when Holland – a winner of numerous big races worldwide – arrived and many predicted that he would, like so many others before him, either leave quickly or at the very latest, quietly after his initial contract was up. To the pleasant surprise of the racing community – not to mention the delight of punters – he not only saw out his contract but renewed it twice.

Darryll Holland at Busan (KRA)

Darryll Holland at Busan (KRA)

Holland adapted well to life in Busan and while he experienced the similar frustrations to many foreign riders who come here, he embraced the local culture and got down to some serious hard work. Of course, the thing that overcomes all in racing is winners and he rode plenty of them.

It started on his debut day when he rode two winners and he never looked back. Riding for all of the top trainers here, including Busan’s main man Kim Young Kwan, he formed a particularly strong partnership with Australian trainer Peter Wolsley which saw them win the Gold Circle Trophy together with My Winner and culminated in a memorable Friday in January this year when they combined for four winners on a single afternoon.

Although they went their separate ways before the end of his time here, the Wolsley/Holland combination is one that will live long in punters’ memories.

He didn’t always see eye-to eye with the Stewards, feeling were overly keen to penalize what he termed “competitive race riding” – something that top local riders Mooon Se Young and Seo Seung Un, who try to ride in a similar way also complain of. Regardless, the Korea Racing Authority were as happy with him as punters were and made clear that he is welcome back at any time and supplying him with a glowing reference on departure.

Holland’s last ride in Korea was due to be on Indie Band in the Jeju Governor’s Cup at Seoul on June 29 but sadly Korea’s best colt fractured a leg in the build-up to the race. That meant his last ride was at Busan on June 22. It was, of course, a winner.

Here he is winning from gate 12 on a horse called Geumsaero back in January:

Yeongsan II, Fly Top Queen Win Big At Seoul

Two of Seoul’s most talked about horses both scored dismissively easy victories as they tuned up for bigger things to come at Seoul Racecourse on Saturday.

Yeongsan II prowls the Seoul paddock

Yeongsan II prowls the Seoul paddock

Yeongsan II [Menifee – Foxxy Cleo (Peintre Celebre)] was sold to Malaysia as a 2-year-old but was brought back home last year. Now 4-years-old, he was making his 4th Korean start on Saturday, having won all his previous ones.

Sent off at odds of 1/9, he cruised around the track without breaking into a serious gallop, to crush a sub-par field by 10 lengths. Known as “Yeongsan II” because an Australian import in the late 1990’s was also called “Yeongsan”, he’s now just a couple of races away from class 1.

Fly Top Queen meanwhile landed her first class 1 victory with a similarly easy win in race 11. Billed as an “Asia Challenge Cup Qualifier” the race was intended as preparation for the International Sprint Invitational race at Seoul at the end of August. Fly Top Queen will most likely be among those representing in Korea in the race which will feature runners from Japan and possibly Singapore.

Korea’s most expensive ever racehorse, Fly Top Queen [Henny Hughes – Cape Discovery (Cape Town)] moves on to 6 wins from 8 domestic starts.

Round-Up: “Let’s Run”, Daily Double, English Form, Track-Rider Op Story Goes Global

Much as I don’t like doing “Round-Ups” I’ve been busy lately and am a long way behind. I also don’t like writing in the first-person on this blog so without further waffle, here are some things that have been happening:

As a wise man rcently said, You Run, I'll Bet...

As a wise man rcently said, You Run, I’ll Bet…

Anyone who has visited Korean race courses over the past couple of months will have noticed that the KRA has been making subtle hints that we may wish to call the organisation “Let’s Run” from now on. Quite why is anybody’s guess but the rebranding is now almost complete and the pliant local Racing media are dutifully referring to the Racetracks as “Let’s Run Park”. Like it or not – and anything that removes the words “Racing” and “Racecourse” is questionable – it’s here to stay.

On to gambling matters and Busan Racecourse – sorry, “Let’s Run Park Busan” – is taking the first tentative steps towards “exotic” betting as it introduces a “Daily Double” from June 27. In Korea, laws literally need to be changed before any new bet type can be introduced so it isn’t going to be operated through a pool but instead through a lottery. Punters will have to choose the winners of the last two races on the card on each Friday. If they get them correct, they win access to a draw to win a guaranteed KW 10 Million.

Recently, punters have been leaving the Busan track early on a Friday (due to its dreadful location half in Gimhae and half in Busan and connected to Busan City by only one bridge next to which an awful lot of construction is going on right now) and handle is down on the last two races. Seoul, despite having no transportation issues, is likely to follow suit with this kind of activity soon and with any luck, it could be the first step towards getting regular multiple race betting.

Also in gambling news, things are getting easier for English-speaking punters here as the KRA is making full and comprehensive past performance information for all meetings at Seoul available for free download from its website. The move is designed to coincide with the start of regular simulcast broadcasting which starts next week.

Finally, the story of the Korea Racing Authority doing right by a track rider taken seriously ill at Busan in April has made the American Bloodhorse magazine. Khayalethu Jeyu, one of 11 South African work riders at the southern track, was rushed to hospital by KRA ambulance after experiencing severe headaches while riding work.

Upon hearing of the discovery of several imminently life-threatening tumors, the KRA stepped in and paid for his treatment. Read the full story here.

2000 Belmont Stakes Winner Commendable Has Passed Away

Commendable, the winner of the 2000 Belmont Stakes, has passed away at Stud in Korea after suffering a colic.

Commendable 1997-2014 (KRA)

Commendable 1997-2014 (KRA)

A $575,000 purchase as a yearling, Commendable[Gone West – Bought Twice (In Reality)] won his debut race at Del Mar on August 14, 1999 but despite being identified by his trainer D. Wayne Lukas as being Triple Crown contender, he endured a disappointing start to his 3-year-old career.

Commendable managed to get into the Kentucky Derby but finished 17th of 19 under Edgar Prado as Fusaichi Pegasus took the 126th Run For The Roses.

Commendable didn’t run in the Preakness a fortnight later where Fusaichi Pegasus was defeated by Red Bullet and without a Triple Crown on the line – and Red Bullet skipping the race too – he returned to take his chance in the Belmont on a hot day in New York City in June 2000.

Hitting the front as they turned for home, 18-1 shot Commendable under jockey Pat Day, held off favourite Aptitude to win the final leg of the Triple Crown by just over a length.

That Del Mar debut and the Belmont proved to be his only wins in a 12-race career as Commendable was retired after finishing 2nd to Tiznow in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs in September of 2000.

After a short stallion carrer in the US, Commendable was brought to Korea in March 2005. He stood at the KRA’s Jeju Stud Farm until 2011 before moving to the new farm on the mainland at Jangsu. While not a sire of Champions, he consistently got winners and was covering mares up until he fell ill.

A two-year-old colt of his out of the Champion Korean racemare Luna is expected to make his debut later this year.

Here’s his Belmont Stakes win:

And his KRA appearance video:

Commendable died on April 10th at the Korea Racing Authority’s Jangsu Stud Farm in Jeolla Province. The official cause of death is listed as “strangulation of small intestine.”

K-Triple Crown 2014: Korean Derby 2014 – The Runners & Riders

A field of 15 will contest the 17th Korean Derby at Seoul Race Park this coming Sunday.

If we're going to have a Triple Crown winner this year, it will be Cheongnyong Bisang (KRA)

If we’re going to have a Triple Crown winner this year, it will be Cheongnyong Bisang (KRA)

Cheongnyong Bisang took the first leg of the Triple Crown, the KRA Cup Mile at Busan last month and he returns to his home track to seek to take out the second jewel.

An unprecedented 5 foreign jockeys have rides in the race. Korean racing stalwarts Joe Fujii, Masa Tanaka, Ikuyasu Kurakane and Darryll Holland are joined by newcomer Shinichi Terachi. With trainers Peter Wolsley and Bart Rice both saddling runners, it is set to be the most international running of the Derby to date.

Below is a full run-down of the runners and riders but first here’s what’s happening around Korea this weekend:

Friday May 16
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 13:00 to 19:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:25 to 17:40

Saturday May 17
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00 including the JRA Trophy at 17:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:15

Sunday May 18
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 10:50 to 18:00 including the Korean Derby at 16:40
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:45 to 17:05

The JRA are in town on Saturday for their annual trophy race and there are some good ones going in that. Our main focus though is the Derby and here is a full run down of the runners with [Pedigree} (Starts/1/2/3) (Trainer) – Jockey (Home Track):

The Korean Derby (KOR G1) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – May 18, 2014

1. Raon Morris [Yankee Victor – Thunder By Night (Thunder Gulch)] (7/3/1/1) (Lee Shin Young) – Moon Se Young (Seoul)
Set the pace for much of the Cup Mile and ran on well to finish 4th at generous odds. He has every chance of improving here and if he gets the lead and others have a bad trip, he just might keep it.

2. Gangchi [Volponi – Regal Heir (Regal Intention)] (10/3/1/1) (Bart Rice) – Masakazu Tanaka (Busan)
Bart Rice is the new star of the Busan trainer colony and he saddles his first Korean Derby runner here. Gangchi made little impact in the Cup Mile and will need to show a lot of improvement to challenge here.

3. Jeongsang Bima [Forest Camp – Smokegetenyoureyes (Smokester)] (9/2/3/2) (Park Hui Cheol) – Ham Wan Sik (Seoul)
A winner over the distance, albeit at class 4, he has a nice turn of foot and likes to come from just behind the leaders. Could be worth a place interest.

4. Jangsan Horangi [Forest Camp – Steal The Show (Cat Thief)] (5/2/2/1) (Kim Jeom Oh) – Oh Kyoung Hoan (Seoul)
Lightly raced and untried at further than 1400M and hasn’t won at higher than class 5. Has plenty of promise and has never finished worse than 3rd but is difficult to recommend here.

5. Wild Rush [Forest Camp – Wisconsin Girl (Smart Strike)] (7/2/3/2) (Kim Young Kwan) – Darryll Holland (Busan)
Won a minor event on Cup Mile day and yet to go further than a mile. Kim Young Kwan doesn’t bring horses to Seoul unless he has high expectations though and with Darryll Holland on board, punters will take note.

6. Gumpo Sky [Vicar – Perfect Storm (Didyme)] (8/3/2/2) (Kwan Seung Joo) – Jeong Dong Cheol (Busan)
Comes into the race in excellent form with two consecutive wins behind him, the most recent of which was just 2 weeks ago over a mile. Expect him to be close to any early pace, he’ll need to show a bit more speed than he has to date in the home straight to challenge.

7. Jungle Jim [Peace Rules – Diamond Stephanie (Lucky Lionel)] (5/2/1/1) (Peter Wolsley) – You Hyun Myung (Busan)
Peter Wosley is searching for his first winner at Seoul and while this colt is not without claims, he will have to improve to win this. Rallied well for 2nd over a mile last start and if he comes on here, he could cause problems at the business end of the race.

8. Queen’s Blade [Menifee – Harboring (Boston Harbor)] (8/4/3/0) (Kim Young Kwan) – Kim Yong Geun (Busan)
Sent off as the odds-on favourite in the Cup Mile, she finished a disappointing 5th having shown briefly at the front with a furlong to run. The half-sister to 2008 Oaks winner Jeolho Chance will have plenty of backers to put things right here. Kim Young Kwan will no doubt have fixed her final furlong but will others have come on more?

9. Royal Impact [Cielo Gold – Skeemo (Meadowlake)] (8/2/3/0) (Kim Byung Hak) – Song Keong Yun (Busan)
The closer never closed in the Cup Mile, staying in 11th position the whole way around. Needs others to run poorly to have a chance.

10. Super Rider [Ft.Stockton – Poyeon (Road Of War)] (9/1/0/1) (Choi Yong Goo) – Shinichi Terachi (Seoul)
Little to recommend this one-time winner who is yet to start at further than 7 furlongs. Japanese jockey Shinichi Terachi gets a first Derby ride in just his 2nd week in Korea.

11. Clean Up Speed [Pico Central – Rich Emotions (Rizzi)] (7/4/1/0) (Seo In Seok) – Ikuyasu Kurakane (Seoul)
The Oaks may be a more realistic target for this filly but she’s a frontrunner with a quick finish who’s beaten colts before. These may be a bit too good though. Was in great form until a disappointing 5th last time out.

12. Namdo Trio [Didyme – Tapas (Sky Classic)] (10/2/4/1) (Baik Kwang Yeol) – Kanichiro Fujii (Busan)
The surprise package of the Cup Mile, he closed very strongly to land third. Joe Fujii rode Speedy First to win this race last year and while he’ll not be favourite to win here, heis not without a chance.

13. Cheongnyong Bisang [Volponi – Miss Alwuhush (Alwuhush)] (8/5/0/0) (Kim Jeom Oh) – Seo Seung Un (Seoul)
The Cup Mile winner and favourite. He was superb in Busan last month and if he repeats that form, he wins. Cheongnyeong Bisang’s defeats have come when he’s had a poor trip and Seo Seung Un is going to have to work very hard to get him into his favoured position from gate 13.

14. Cupid Girl [Vicar – Sheza Hot Dish (Rubiano)] (9/4/0/1) (Park Jae Woo) – Cho Kyoung Ho (Seoul)
A decent filly but another for who the Oaks is a more likely target. A creditable 8th in the Cup Mile, a similar position here seems achievable.

15. Pureun Geotap [Menifee – Charmin Strike (Smart Strike)] (9/2/2/3) (Ji Yong Cheol) – Lee Chan Ho (Seoul)
Had an abortive attempt on the Cup Mile but otherwise has form at this distance, winning a slowly run race here in March. This will be tougher though.

Surprise As Major King To Run In Pimlico Special

War Admiral, Seabiscuit, Tom Fool, Real Quiet, Cigar, Skip Away. That’s the kind of company that Major King will make a rather unlikely attempt to join when he lines up for the Pimlico Special this coming Friday.

Pimlico Special bound: Major King

Pimlico Special bound: Major King

The 4-year-old Korean classic winner has been in the United States since January and although his only start to date ended in a dismal defeat at Pimlico last month, he has somewhat bizarrely been entered for the Group 3 race which will be run over 1900 metres.

He’ll be among a field of nine which contains five graded Stakes winners including Revolutionary, who was narrowly beaten by Will Take Charge in April’s Oaklawn Handicap and was 3rd in last year’s Kentucky Derby.

Brisnet notes that “several runners enter the Special in career peak form”

Major King [Pico Central – Still Golden (Gold Fever)] does not. The winner of 6 of his 12 starts in Korea, including the Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the Korean Triple Crown. He finished the season indifferently, well beaten in the President’s Cup and then 3rd in a Busan handicap.

At that point, he needed a lay-off and despite being shipped half-way around the world, he got a rest from racing and he can be forgiven his one poor start Stateside so far.

His wins have come from the front and he likes to set the pace. However, even an at peak-form Major King would be overmatched here and the 50/1 morning line odds – naturally the outsider of the nine – look rather miserly.

The best we can hope for is that he isn’t embarrassed. Either way, he will become the first Korean bred horse to run in an American Graded Stakes race.

Gangnam Camp Runs Second At Gulfstream

Korean-bred colt Gangnam Camp sprang a surprise on the Gulfstream Park dirt on Saturday, grabbing second place in a 6-furlong Maiden Claimer.

Gangnam Camp before his trip to the US (KRA)

Gangnam Camp before his trip to the US (KRA)

His previous 4 starts had all been underwhelming but, under jockey Arny Fernandez, Gangnam Camp – who was the longest shot on the board – closed strongly to get within a length of winner Lucky Valor at the line.

Gangnam Camp (Forest Camp) is one of three Korean bred horses who have been in the United States since February last year.

They were due to be shipped back to Korea this month to be resold but after Saturday’s performance, there is a possibility it may be put back a month to give Gangnam Camp another crack at recording a win.

It’s the best run so far from any of the three. Better Than You (Ft.Stockton) is 0 for 3 while Seoul Bullet (Peace Rules) has one 3rd place finish from his 4 starts to date and managed to get claimed along the way.

Here’s the Equibase Chart of the race.