Racing at Seoul today was abandoned due to an unsafe track brought on by icy conditions. With a track full of punters, races 1 and 2 were delayed after jockeys expressed safety concerns that the high level moisture in the track had frozen.
The track was deemed safe for race 3 to go ahead as planned at 12:10pm. However, prominent jockeys Moon Se Young, Cho Kyoung Ho and Jung Ki Young who were booked to ride in the race, did not appear and their horses were scratched.
The race went ahead and was won by Boo Min Ho on two-year old Bonsol. Immediately after the race the decision was made to abandon racing for the day. This is the third time in recent years that controversy over the safety of the track in cold weather has forced a very late abandonment.
Two-Year Olds Get Down To Business
Last week, Night Moves landed the Champion Juvenile title at Busan. This Sunday it’s the turn of Seoul to award its prize as eight two-year olds go to post for the Herald Business Cup.
And it is a race that punters have been looking to since the summer as the two outstanding juveniles Northern Ace and Seonbongbulpae go head-to-head for the first time. So far both have been flat-track bullies, Seonbongbulpae racking up three wins from three and Northern Ace winning both of his starts by ridiculous margins whilst barely breaking into a canter.
However, Northern Ace now holds the five furlong track record, putting away Ace Galloper, who has gone on to record some impressive wins himself, by ten lengths in the process. Seonbongbulpae has been equally visually impressive. Now it’s crunch time.
Northern Ace hasn’t appeared since August. On that day, he was due to be partnered by champion jockey Moon Se Young. Moon, however, suffered a bad injury in an earlier race and Cho Kyoung Ho picked up the mount. Moon will coincidentally return to the track for the first time this weekend, but it is Cho who retains the ride. Seonbongbulpae has run and won an extra race.
Among the others, Full Step looks promising, but was found out a little when facing older horses last time out. Hushtilled, Yodongjewang and Silver Mon have, like all of the runners, won at least once, but none look likely to be able to live with the two favourites.
Nevertheless, the last time we billed a top Korean contest as being a match-race, it was Areumdaun Jilju Vs Gaeseon Janggun in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup at Busan. Both were left embarrassed by unfancied Yeongung Manse.
Herald Business Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1200M – Dec 6, 2009, 16:45
1. Slew Bubble [Field Asuka – Simple Charm (Capote)] F (6/1/1/1) – Kim Cheol Ho 2. Muhandeunggeuk [Trick Of Fate – Odelia (Canny Lad)] C (5/1/1/0) – Kim Dong Cheol 3. Full Step [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] C (3/2/1/0) – Oh Kyoung Hoan 4. Yodongjewang [Field Asuka – Mary Wonder (Shahrastani)] C (3/1/1/1) – Choi Beom Hyun 5. Silver Mon [Distilled – Silver Fizz (Cee’s Tizzy)] C (2/1/0/0) – Boo Min Ho 6. Seonbongbulpae [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] C (3/3/0/0) – Jo In Kwen 7. Northern Ace [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] C (2/2/0/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho 8. Hushtilled [Distilled – Miss Alwuhush (Alwuhush)] F (6/1/2/1) – Moon Se Young
* The 2008 edition of the race was won by Nice Choice who went on to become Seoul’s top three-year old this year. Narrowly missing out on winning a classic, he landed the prestigious Group 1 President’s Cup last month. Whoever wins this year’s race is likely to come up against him at some stage in 2010.
Yeongung Manse, Areundaum Jilju, Pangpang also up for Owner’s Cup
Areumdaun Jilju and Yeonsung Daero could have been in Seoul next week contesting the Grand Prix, arguably the peninula’s most prestigious race. Instead they have elected to stay home in Busan where their presence ensures a quality line-up in this coming Sunday’s Busan Owner’s Cup.
While it means the home-bred assault on the Grand Prix will be understrength, given that Yeonseung Daero and Areumdaun Jilju were both beaten in the Metropolitan by Bulpae Gisang – a horse who will be second favourite at best at Seoul next week – perhaps it is an understandable decision.
That’s not to say it will be a two-horse race. Yeongung Manse, though fifth in the Metropolitan, beat Areumdaun Jilju in September and can’t be ruled out. Top Grade makes his first appearance in elite company and is well handicapped. Meanwhile, Glory Champ has won his last two races, both over this distance.
Also well handicapped is the only filly in the race. Pangpang stunned Sangseung Ilro to win the Oaks on a hot evening in August. In her two outings since,she hasn’t troubled the placings but she’s proved she can perform. Galsaek Teukgeup looks outclassed while Conqueror, Sandeomi and Viva Canon, while proven winners, have struggled of late.
It all points to a golden opportunity for Yeonseung Daero, who underperformed in the classics and suffered a near miss in the Metropolitan, to start living up to his undoubted potential.
The race is off at 15:20 on Sunday afternoon and is race 5 of a six-race card. Busan also holds a card on Friday. Seoul will host racing on Saturday and Sunday with the Herald Business topping the bill on Sunday. We’ll have a full preview of that race tomorrow.
Owner’s Cup – Busan Race Park – 2000M – Dec 6, 2009 – 15:20
1. Glory Champ [Whywhywhy – Tapas (Sky Classic)] C 4 (16/8/2/0) 55.5kg – Yoo Hyun Myoung 2. Top Grade [Texas Glitter – Potential Storm (Cape Town)] G 3 (9/6/2/0) 53.5kg – Jo Sung Gon 3. Viva Canon [Tahamkke – Special Craft (Crafty Prospector)] C 3 (16/3/4/2) 50kg – Kim Yong Geun 4. Yeongung Manse [Sharp Appeal – Saratogasplash (Wild Again)] G 3 (18/9/3/2) 57kg – Jo Chang Wook 5. Conqueror [Revere – Model Actress (Stage Colony)] C 3 (14/4/3/0) 50kg – Martin Wepner 6. Sandeomi [Commendable – Regal Meg (Regal Classic)] C 3 (12/5/1/1) 50kg – Kim Eu Su 7. Galsaek Teukgeup [Belong To Me – Parish Land (Deputy Minister)] C 3 (10/1/3/3) – 50kg – Seo In Seob 8. Pangpang [Revere – Awishnotalark (Rio’s Lark)] F 3 (18/4/1/1) 50kg – Han Sang Gyu 9. Yeonseung Daero [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] C 3 (16/8/2/2) 56.5kg – Park Geum Man 10. Areumdaun Jilju [Didyme – Chills Of Nepal (Nepal)] H 5 (22/14/3/2) 59kg – Jo Chan Hoon
* In 2008, this race was won by one time KRA Cup Classic winner and track stalwart Luna. The eight year old mare was retired last month after a career of thirty-three outings, with thirteen wins, five seconds and two thirds. Her last race was a win over seven furlongs at class 1 on November 13.
With less than a week to go until the Herald Business Cup, the KRA has amended the English spelling of the name of one of the two favourites for the race. At last, we can now refer to the Seoul Race Park five-furlong track record holder as “Northern Ace”. It seems there was a slight mistake when it was first entered into the Studbook which rendered his name for his first two races as “Nothern Ace”.
Northern Ace [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] is two-for-two but hasn’t raced since the last weekend of August. He will be up against fellow unbeaten juvenile Seonbongbulpae [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] over six furlongs this coming Sunday afternoon.
Two year old filly Wonerful Sun remains un-spell-checked despite being rendered as “Wonderful” in Korean script. However, as her performance on Saturday was anything but wonerful or wonderful, there is perhaps less danger with her of the KRA seeing any of their marquee races being won by a typo.
Nice Choice and Yeonseung Daero-shaped holes
Let’s first get who’s not going to be there out of the way, so that when we have the final preview next week, we can focus on those who will be taking part in the race that traditionally brings the curtain down (for a few days anyway) on the Korean racing season.
Racing fans had their vote and the KRA sent out the invitations accordingly but, in the year that the inclusion of Busan horses makes the Grand Prix truly the test to find the peninsula’s top horse, a number of those who should be there won’t be.
Nice Choice was second in the poll, but he won’t be there. Neither will Areumdaun Jilju, Yeonseung Daero or Sangseung Ilro from Busan. The former two will run in the Busan Owner’s Cup on December 6, while Sangseung Ilro’s legs are not up to the rigours of 2300 metres around Seoul in winter.
Yeonseung Daero’s absence may be felt the most. Sent off favourite in the KRA Cup Mile and highly fancied for the Derby, he missed out both times but there are strong suspicions that he may be on the verge of producing something special – many punters felt that he had Choi Beom Hyun been riding him, rather than Bulpae Gisang in the Busan Metropolitan last month, the result would have been different.
Those who will skip the event may be forgiven, however. Dongbanui Gangja has been in imperious form this year. Six runs, six wins. He’s a closer rather than a front-runner and that usually leads to butterflies but he has swatted away all comers this year in dismissive fashion. Stepping back up to 2300 metres is unliklely to faze him and it is difficult to see him being beaten.
Bally Brae is back to try. A winner once and second twice, he landed a couple of win earlier in the year but has suffered recently. There was speculation that he might be given a long break but the lure of the Grand Prix has proved too much for his connections. As ever, he will give his all and if he pulls it off, there won;t be a dry eye in the house (…maybe). Of the Seoul contingent though, Dongbanui Gangja’s stablemate, Bulpae Gisang, Busan Metropolitan winner, may be his greatest danger.
From Busan, Gaeseon Janggun, winner of the 2008 Minister’s Cup will fly the flag for Korea while Crafty Louis and King Kephalos are both solid performers. Haengbok Dream has potential while Rolling On Strong is set to be the only filly or mare in the race.
Here’s the full list of confirmed entries so far (Name/Pedigree/Sex/Age/Record):
Seoul
Yaho TS (USA) [Roar Of The Tiger – Propeller (Lear Fan)] C – 3 (15/4/1/1) Bally Brae (USA) [Yarrow Brae – Political Bluff (Unaccounted For)] G – 7 (31/15/10/1) Ugildongja (KOR) [Dixie Dot Com – May Roses (Incinderator)] H – 5 (32/10/5/1) Dongbanui Gangja (USA) [Broken Vow – Maremaid (Storm Bird)] C – 4 (21/14/4/2) Bulpae Gisang (USA) [Lightnin N Thunder – Neat Trick (Clever Trick)] C – 3 (12/7/2/0)
Busan
Haengbok Dream (JPN) [Lammtarra – Sister Slew (Slew The Dragon)] C – 3 (11/4/4/2) King Kephalos (JPN) [King Glorious – Western Edge (Woodman)] G – 4 (19/8/3/3) Gaeseon Janggun (KOR) [Duality – Diamond Star (Dixieland Band)] C – 4 (18/9/4/1) Rolling On Strong (USA) [Werblin – Gracie Gale (Opening Verse)] F – 3 (12/4/1/3) Crafty Louis (USA) [Louis Quatorze – Crafty Atlantic (Crafty Prospector)] G – 6 (34/13/4/2)
Here’s Dongbanui Gangja winning last year from Bally Brae in second and Myeongmun Gamun in third:
Jeju Stud Farm hosted its November Yearling sale last week. Of the 90 lots offered, just 35 sold at an average price of 45 Million won ($39,000).
Topping the sale was was a colt by Vicar out of the Australian bred mare Hurricane Havoc [Jade Robbery – Hurricane Bay (Palace Music)] who fetched 100 Million won. Second highest was a colt by Revere out of Mina De Oro (USA) [Afleet – Alas De Oro (Ack Ack)] at 85 Million won. The Vicar colt was bought by Kim Chul, who currently has nine horses in training at Seoul while Busan owner Kwak Jung Su took the Revere colt.
The highest drawing filly was by Creek Cat and out of the Korean bred Tamna Jeilbong [Lost Mountain – Scotty’s Love (First Draft Choice)], fetching 56 Million won from Seung Myoung Ho. Prominent Seoul owner Ku Ja Sun (Dongbanui Gangja) was also in action, taking home colts by Creek Cat and Exploit for a combined total of just shy of 100 Million won.
Top five lots (Sex/Pedigree/Seller/Buyer/Price in units of 10,000 won):
1. Colt [Vicar – Hurricane Havoc (Jade Robbery)] Lim Sang Yun / Kim Chul – 10,000
2. Colt [Revere – Mina De Oro (Afleet)] Lim Sang Yun / Kwak Jung Su – 8,500
3. Colt [Menifee – Angel Be Great (Notebook)] Oh Gong Hak / Choi Cheol Yi – 8,000
4. Colt [Volponi – Regal Meg (Regal Classic)] Kang Seok Ho / Lee Jong Hun – 7,500
5. Colt* [Wando – Luv Meadow (Meadowlake)] Oh Gong Hak / Daemyoung Co. – 7,400
* Luv Meadow was in foal to Wando when imported to Korea in January 2008.
At the beginning of November, just as it does every year, the KRA conducted an online poll of Korean racing fans, asking them which horses they would like to see run in the season ending Grand Prix race at Seoul on December 13.
Voting results were made public this week and 2008 winner Dongbanui Gangja heads the list of those horses the racing “Netizens” would most like to see take part in the season-ending Grand Prix race at Seoul Race Park on December 13.
The top eight vote-getters from Seoul and top 6 from Busan – whose horses are taking part in the Grand Prix for the first time ever – have received automatic invitations to the race. However, it is far from certain that all will take them up.
We’ll go over the final list next Monday but for now, here is the full list of the fourteen horses voted in:
Seoul
Of the Busan contingent, Areumdaun Jilju and Yeonseung Daero both entered in the Busan Owners’ Cup Sprint on December 6, connections seemingly have a big decision to make. Meanwhile, there remain question marks over the delicate legs of Sangseung Ilro, winner of the first two legs of the Triple Crown and the only filly voted in.
As for the Seoul horses, Hwangnyongsaji is in action this weekend in an all domestic race. It’s unlilely we’ll see him line-up for the Grand Prix. Meanwhile, 2006 Horse of The Year and 2007 Grand Prix winner Bally Brae still remains popular with punters, polling fourth. However, after two disappointing recent runs, his trainer has indicated a long spell of rest and recuperation is on the cards for the much-loved gelding.
Apart from winning the 2007 edition, Bally Brae was second in both 2006 and 2008. Here is his commanding victory over long-time rival Subsidy from two years ago:
When Moon Se Young was violently thrown from two-year old filly Raipai back at the end of August, his hopes of retaining his 2008 title were over. Still sidelined, Moon remains on 72 winners leaving a tight three-way battle for the Championship with a month to go.
On Saturday, Cho Kyoung Ho became just the third rider in Korean racing history to reach the 100 winners in a season mark. Meanwhile Park Tae Jong moved onto 99 to go one ahead of Choi Beom Hyun on 98.
Cho was fourth in 2007 and second last year but it has been a golden autumn for the 33-year-old with victories on Nice Choice in the President’s Cup and Lucky Mountain in the NACF Chairman’s Race and, in Moon Se Young’s continued absence, will most likely take the mount on hot 2-year-old Nothern Ace in the Herald Business on December 6.
For Choi Beom Hyun, while he’s an outside chance to make up the five winner deficit he has on Cho, a second consecutive Grand Prix on Dongbanui Gangja awaits. Park Tae Jong, who heads the all-time winners list, looks likely to land his second biggest ever haul in his twenty year career.
Current Standings:
1. Cho Kyoung Ho – 103
2. Park Tae Jong – 99
3. Choi Beom Hyun – 98
4. Moon Se Young – 72
5. Ham Wan Sik – 39
Visitors to the “Foreigner lounge” on the fourth floor of the Luckyville grandstand at Seoul Race Park are provided with an English language race card. Though very basic in the information it provides, it is invaluable for first-time racegoers or for those who cannot read Korean and therefore find it difficult to navigate the regular racecards.
For many years, on a Saturday, when two or three races are simulcasted from Jeju Island, the cards for these races have been included in the English race card. On a Sunday, however, that has not been the case for the races simulcasted from Busan. This has led to Gyongmaman watching (with some amusement, he is ashamed to admit) scores of first time visitors betting on what they think is the next race at Seoul but is in fact the next race from Busan. All this changed this past weekend though as the entire Busan card was attached to the usual Seoul listings.
We touched a couple of weeks ago on the prospect of an English language betting machine being introduced. Gyongmaman – always a terrible groveller when faced with officialdom, especially if they’re wearing a KRA badge – gave it his blessing and accordingly the English-speaking machine, made its debut on November 7, taking pride of place in the middle of the lounge. It lasted a full four races before malfunctioning and being taken away on a trolley. It hasn’t been seen since.
All mockery aside, the KRA is to be commended on their efforts. The vast majority of regulars in the Foreigner lounge are ethnic Koreans who have passports from other countries and therefore can read Korean. That the KRA provides an English and Japanese service and provides reserved seating for overseas visitors – a demographic that generally bets tiny amounts – all for free, is much to its credit.
Also on English affairs, recently the KRA revamped its website. It is pretty sexy. However, one by-product of this was that it became impossible to access the English language section of the site from the homepage. While this is a sorry state of affairs, Korearacing understands that a brand new English language homepage is in the works and is scheduled to be launched in the New Year. This site will indeed supposedly have what everyone has been waiting for: English langauge racecards and results.
This coming Sunday at Seoul Race Park, Baekgwang will seek to complete what was thought to be an impossible comeback when he lines up alongside the track’s top Korean bred horses in the President’s Cup. During his career, the six-year-old has spent a total of two years on the sidelines. He finally returned to the winner’s circle last month in his third race since returning from successful stem-cell treatment.
Now he will take on a strong field including three-year olds Nice Choice and Khanui Jeguk as well as old foe Baengnokjeong. Natural Nine,Triple Seven, Mighty Runner and Wontagui Gisa are also among the proven winners that will contest the Group 1 race over 2000 metres.
A week later another long overdue return will take place. And this time it’s Baekgwang’s little sister Baekpa, back in town following her summer in the United States, who heads the line-up in the Nonghyup Bank Cup. Korean racing fans were pained to see Baekpa in the US, running her heart out but being left behind by fields that could hardly be considered world-beating. How she recovers from that ordeal will become clear on Sunday 22 as she makes her first start back on Korean sand.
Currently thirteen other fillies and mares are entered for the Nonghyup race. An in-form Baekpa should have the beating of them all with the one interesting contender being the three-year old Love Cat.
Is she the same horse she was when she left? Can her brother beat the three-year olds a week earlier? Either way, racing fans here are just delighted to see the grey siblings back home racing where they belong.
Here’s Baekgwang in pre-injury days in 2007:
And Baekpa taking the Korean Oaks in the same year:
Horse Racing in Korea 