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Namchonuijijon set for Ttukseom Cup Defence

Seoul Race Park’s biggest race of the year so far comes under orders on Sunday afternoon as the Park Dae Heung trained pair of Namchonuijijon and Myeongmun Gamun head the field for the Group Three Ttukseom Cup.

Horse of the Year in 2008, the eight year old Myeongmun Gamun will be dropping down to seven furlongs for the first time since the corresponding race in 2006 when he finished fifth – his worst ever finish in a career spanning thirty one races so far in which he has never been out of the money. Nevertheless, Myeongmun Gamun’s only outing this year ended in a surprise defeat and he hasn’t raced since January.

Winner of this race in 2008, Namchonuijijon didn’t kick on after last year’s race but opened his 2009 account with a smart win last month. In that race he finished ahead of two of his rivals here, Free Woody and Mighty Runner, the latter suffering his first defeat in five races.

Also going are the “three sevens”; Triple Seven, Lucky Seven and the impressive but untried at this level so far Seven Card, as well as mares Seonju Jangsu and Geumsuni. The race is off at 17:00. See below for a full list of runners, records and riders (Races/1st/2nd/3rd):

Ttukseom Cup (G.III) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Apr 12, 2009

1. Highway Star – (71/5/5/9) – Jung Pyeong Soo
2. Myeongmun Gamun – (31/17/3/6) – Cho Kyoung Ho
3. Seonju Jangsu – (40/6/11/3) – Yang Hee Jin
4. Seven Card – (9/5/3/0) – Yoo Seung Wan
5. Mighty Runner – (19/6/3/4) – Kim Hyo Seob
6. Saebyeok Dongja – (34/10/5/2) – Shin Hyoung Cheol
7. Lucky Seven – (21/5/5/1) – Lee Sang Hyuk
8. Free Woody – (17/5/5/3) – Moon Jung Kyun
9. Triple Seven – (15/4/2/4) – Choi Beom Hyun
10. Taebaek Janggun – (25/7/3/0) – Park Tae Jong
11. Namchonuijijon – (20/6/7/3) – Jung Ki Young
12. Geumsuni – (21/6/4/2) – Han Sung Yeol

Obituary: Saegangja

Record career earnings / First domestic Grand Prix winner
The KRA has announced that Saegangja, winner of 33 races including a Grand Prix and three consecutive Chairman’s Trophies in the late nineties and the early part of this decade, died on March 28 at the age of thirteen. The gelding had been suffering from colic and was euthanized after failing to respond to treatment.

Foaled in 1996, Saegangja was by the sire Fiercely [Danzig – Whirl Series (Roberto)] and out the New Zealand bred mare Exotic Goddess [Nuage d’Or – Rhine Goddess (Rheingold)]. He made his racecourse debut in September 1998, running third of seven in a maiden race over six furlongs. From this relatively inauspicious start he returned the following month to beat an odds-on favourite over five furlongs and was then undefeated in his next fourteen races taking him up until the middle of 2000.

These included victories in the 1999 Chairman’s Trophy, the Munhwa Ilbo Cup and the end of season Grand Prix becoming the first Korean bred winner of arguably the year’s most prestigious race. In the Grand Prix, he was the first of a group of horses to overhaul the tiring Sinsedae, himself winner of 43 races, in the final furlong.

His winning streak was broken in the Owner’s Association Trophy in April 2000 by the unfancied Pisan. He quickly recovered his form, however, retaining the Chairman’s Trophy and Munhwa Ilbo Cup over the following months but with only six runs under his belt for the year, skipped the Grand Prix. In seven races, he made it a hat-trick of Chairman’s Trophies by a neck but, in the first signs he may have reached his peak, suffered losses in the Minister’s Cup and SBS Cup before running third in the Grand Prix.

In 2002, he lost his Chairman’s Trophy title but managed second placings in the Ttukseom Cup and in the Grand Prix while continuing to win top class handicaps. As his careeer wound down, so did his speed failing to win from seven races in 2004. However, in his first race of 2005, he bounced right back to the winner’s encosure in his season debut and added one more before being retired at the age of nine. Saegangja (1996-2009) retired after 58 races, 33 wins, 8 seconds and 5 thirds with career earnings of KRW 1.5 Billion, still a Korean record.

Shaka has a full obituary (in Korean) complete with video. The “And justice for all” blog carries pictures from his retirement.

Cup Mile Day Round-Up

Sangseung Ilro landing the first leg of the Triple Crown was undoubtedly the highlight of the day (video now available here), but there was plenty of other action on the peninsula.

At Seoul, it was another female horse making headlines as Pocketful Of Money made the most of a seven kilo weight advantage to comfortably see off Angus Empire and Seoul Teukgeup. the mare went wire to wire for a five length win in Seoul’s feature race.

Earlier in the day, My Symphony landed a competitive fillies race over 1200 metres. The three year old, making her third start scored her second win. Also winning was Australian bred debutante Jinglebella [Belong To Me – Chandrika (Kenmare)]. The gelding ovetook favourite Big Boss in the final furlong and ran on for a three length win.

At Busan, following the Cup Mile there was a class 1 handicap and New Zealand bred Gunham scored his first victory in almost two years. The seven year old had a long lay off in 2008 and had been well down the field in his two starts since returning. This time, however, he went wire to wire for 2000 metres to defeat a field including Shane Bob, Florida Native and 2008 Busan Metropolitan winner Hardride.

Back to the Cup Mile and the Trifecta (or more accurately “Trio”, as it was pick 3 in any order rather than a trifecta) was launched for the race and punters appear to have embraced it. The Trio pool for the KRA Cup Mile was just under KRW 600 Million (about $450,000) and the first three of Sangseung Ilro, Namdo Jeap and Yeonseung Daero in any order paid 53.6. The pool was larger than that for Quinella Place, however, it was six times smaller than the regular Quinella.

Finally, readers may have noticed Korearacing has finally succumbed to Twitter. As has been discussed elsewhere, Twitter and horse racing – indeed many sports – are potentially a very good fit. The feed will be updated from the track on big racedays where possible (wi-fi is usually blocked at Seoul Race Park to frustrate illegal betting signals but yesterday it wasn’t) and perhaps during the week too. Unfortunately Korearacing cannot guarantee that all updates will be as good/lucky as the first one, pointing out Sangseung Ilro as the value bet for the KRA Cup Mile…

Twelve Up For Triple Crown Opener

There were no last minute surprise additions and no late withdrawals as the final declarations for Sunday’s KRA Cup Mile at Busan Race Park were published on Wednesday. The unbeaten Impeccable heads the field which will go to post at 15:45.

Leading jockey Ikuyasu Kurakane will partner highly rated Sky Star and there is a first big race ride in Korea for South African jockey Martin Wepner who will take the reins on Namdo Jeap. The race will also see the first trial of Trifecta betting in Korea.

Here is the full list of runners, records and riders:

KRA Cup Mile (G.III) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – Apr 5, 2009

1. Power Boy [Lost Mountain – Keon-Gon Ch’eonggi (Pro For Sure)] C (7/2/3/1) – Lim Sung Sil
Has never gone further than seven furlongs although finished ahead of three of this field last time out – but that was back in January.
2. Geumbit Sesang [Duality – Shawnee Sunset (True Colors)] C (4/3/0/0) – Chae Gyu Jun
Won over the distance in March
3. Yeonseung Daero [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] C (7/5/1/1) – Kim Eu Su
Stepped up to class 1 early and finished a creditable third behind Procyon and Ebony Storm over this distance in March. A real chance.
4. Sandeomi [Commendable – Regal Meg (Regal Classic)] C (7/4/0/1) – Jo Chan Hoon
Won over this distance in February although was well beaten by Sky Star last time out. Dropping back to a mile could suit though.
5. Sky Star [Tahamkke – Blue Lark (Ravenwood)] C (8/4/1/0) – Ikuyasu Kurakane
A winner at this distance and at class 2 level. With Busan’s top jockey on board, he’ll have plenty of supporters.
6. Namdo Jeap [Ft. Stockton – Wandering Katie (Tejano)] C (5/3/1/1) – Martin Wepner
On a run of three straight wins but has never gone further than six furlongs. If he gets the trip, this half brother of last year’s winner Rainmaker, will be in contention.
7. Money Teukgeup [Ft. Stockton – Headwork (Silveyville)] C (7/2/3/1) – Shin Hyoung Cheol
A regular placer up at Seoul but has been in weak company so far.
8. Impeccable [Distilled – Belle Breezy (Foolish Pleasure)] C (4/4/0/0) – Park Geum Man
Unbeaten and eased down every time. The one doubt is he’s never gone a mile. His times have been nothing special but they haven’t needed to be. Potentially very good.
9. Pangpang [Revere – Awishnotalark (Rio’s Lark)] F (9/2/0/1) – Choi Si Dae
Finishing out of the money last time out, it would be a surprise if the filly made much of an impact.
10. Sangseung Ilro [Concept Win – Ms. Whiskey (Whiskey Wisdom)] F (5/3/1/1) – Eiki Nishimura
Has won her last three races including one over the distance.
11. Dream Wings [Exploit – American Royalty (Alleged)] F (5/2/1/0) – Lee Seung Jae
Finished a long way behind Sangseung Ilro last time.
12. Love Cat [Creek Cat – Love Cue (Curia Regis)] F (8/5/0/2) – Choi Beom Hyun
Seoul’s top filly will have no problems getting the trip and her times suggest that if she takes to the Busan track, she could be in contention. Choi Beom Hyun goes south with her.

2008 Winner: Rainmaker [Revere – Wandering Katie (Tejano)]. Last year’s winner came into the race with two wins and three thirds from his five outings. The Cup Mile was his first attempt at anything over seven furlongs. Rainmaker went on to disappoint in the Korean Derby and suffered a knee injury in the Minister’s Cup at Seoul in October.

Namchonuijijon Set to Defend Ttukseom Cup

Namchonuijijon will look to retain the Group 3 Ttukseom Cup in Seoul’s biggest race of the season so far on Sunday April 12. Going up against him, in a surprise entry, could be stablemate and 2008 Horse of the Year, Myeongmun Gamun.

The Ttkuseom Cup is named to commemorate the old Seoul Racecourse at Ttukseom on the north bank of the River Han. Ttukseom was the sole home of Korean racing from immediately after the Korean War in 1953, until the opening of the new Seoul Race Park at its present home in Gwacheon in 1989. The race is run over seven furlongs and was formerly the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown until that honour was shifted, seemingly permanently, to Busan’s KRA Cup Mile in 2008. However, with a first prize of KRW 132 Million, the Ttukseom Cup remains one of the season’s highlights.

Last year, the then four year old Namchonuijijon held off the grey Baekgwang to record victory by a length. While Baekgwang limped away wih ligament damage that prematurely ended his season, Namchonuijijon went on to disappoint during the rest of 2008 but began his 2009 campaign with a smart victory earlier this month.

If he starts, Myeongmun Gamun will be stepping back down to seven furlongs for the first time since the 2006 running of the race when he finished fifth. Now eight years old, Myeongmun Gamun has seventeen wins from thirty one outings and has only got better with age, 2008 being his most successful season to date. However, he suffered a surprising reverse at the hands of mare Top Point in his only run so far this year. Also among the thirteen early entries are Triple Seven, Taebaek Janggun, Seven Card and Geumsuni.

Meanwhile, this coming Sunday sees the KRA Cup Mile at Busan. Final declarations will be made tomorrow. Gyongmaman will be attending the Football World Cup Qualifier between South Korea and North Korea at Sangam Stadium tomorrow evening so our preview of the big race will be up on Thursday.

Three Go Free

Bang, Moon, Jung go freelance / Park Soo Hong warned off
Three more jockeys have taken on freelance status at Seoul Race Park bringing the total number of unattached riders to twenty out of the sixty-one currently holding a license. Bang Choon Sik, Moon Jung Kyun and Jung Ki Young are the latest to go it alone.

The main benefit to being freelance is that the jockey can ride in as many races per week as he can find a mount for. Jockeys who are attached to a stable are limited to a maximum of five race rides per week. Figures released by the KRA last year showed that freelance jockeys had an average of 9.6 mounts per week whereas stable jockeys had 3.4. Average earnings for freelancers was over KRW 12 Million per month compared with KRW 5 Million per month for retained riders.

The figures do hide a disparity between the freelancers, however. The top freelance jockeys, such as Moon Se Young or Park Tae Jong, who will pick up a ride in nearly every race over a weekend – a large proportion of them well-fancied – will earn much more whereas most will earn far less.

This has particularly been true for the overseas riders who have often struggled to get mounts in their early days in Korea. All overseas riders are given freelance status and while it can work out very well, as for Toshio Uchida and now Ikuyasu Kurakane at Busan, it can take a long time to get established. With the race fee less than KRW 60,000 per ride, freelance jockeys need to consistently be getting quality rides to make ends meet.

In other jockey news, Park Soo Hong, who rode Subsidy to victory in the 2005 Owner’s Trophy and Grand Prix races, has been permanently warned off by the KRA for passing on inside information. Local media reported at the weekend that thirty four year old Park confessed to police that he accepted money for information. A groom and a trainer also found to have been involved, were handed lesser penalties.

Nice Choice Sits Out Cup Mile

Entries for the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown, are out and missing from the list is last year’s top juvenile Nice Choice. Trainer Kim Hak Soo confirmed that the Seoul based colt will not make make the trip down to Busan for the April 5 race and will instead focus solely on May’s Korean Derby at his home track.

That last year’s Seoul entrants at Busan performed so disappointingly may have played a part in only two horses shipping down for the Cup Mile. Bae Dae Sun will send Money Teukgeup [Ft. Stockton – Headwork (Silveyville)] and Kim Yang Seon will saddle the filly Love Cat [Creek Cat – Love Cue (Curia Regis)]. Both should comfortably get the Mile trip but how they will adapt to Busan remains to be seen.

Love Cat is one of four fillies entered at this stage while in the absence of Nice Choice, Peter Wolsley’s Impeccable [Distilled – Belle Breezy (Foolish Pleasure)], who remains unbeaten in four outings looks likely to be favourite despite not having gone a mile before.

After the Cup Mile last year, a number of possible reasons were put forward to explain the dominance of Busan horses including the visiting jockeys being unfamiliar with the course and Busan’s uphill back straight being very different to that at Seoul. All of these were found to be wanting when Busan horses went to Seoul and swept the placings in both the Derby and Minister’s Cup later in the season. Here is a list of the entries with race records:

KRA Cup Mile (G.III) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – Apr 5, 2009

1. Yeonseung Daero C (7/5/1/1)
2. Sangseung Ilro F (5/3/1/1)
3. Namdo Jeap C (5/3/1/1)
4. Geumbit Sesang C (4/3/0/0)
5. Dream Wings F (5/2/1/0)
6. Sandeomi C (7/4/0/1)
7. Sky Star C (8/4/1/0)
8. Power Boy C (7/2/3/1)
9. Pangpang F (9/2/0/1)
10. Impeccable C (4/4/0/0)
11. Love Cat F (8/5/0/2)
12. Money Teukgeup C (7/2/3/1)

We’ll have a full preview once the final line up is confirmed next week.

Weekend Round-Up: Gaeseon Janggun who won the final leg of last year’s Triple Crown was back in the winner’s circle at Busan yesterday, beating Derby winner Ebony Storm into third place over 2000 metres. Meanwhile, up at Seoul, Hwangnyongsaji took the feature race and there was another win for the improving Symphony Sonata.

Down on Jeju Island it was another frustrating day as, for the second time in as many months, Sunday’s entire card was called off due to fog.

Mighty Hero Lands Busan Ilbo

Second favourite Mighty Hero came away from the pack in the home straight to record a comfortable win in the Busan Ilbo Cup at Busan Race Park this afternoon. The grey led home a field of the most promising imported fillies at the Gyeongnam track.

Favourite Jilju Hara bolted out of the gate and set a frenetic pace in the early stages of the seven furlong race. Though the Japanese had won over a longer distance in the past, the pace as such that it always seemed a case of when, rather than if, she would tire.

Indeed it came as they turned into the home straight. Jo Chang Wook had kept Mighty Hero safely in the middle of the field but now he and Chae Gyu Jun on Graceful Ballerina made their move. It was Mighty Hero who proved the strongest, stretching out to a four length margin on the line. Mentor came through with a very late run to take third place.

For Mighty Hero, it was a fourth straight win since breaking her maiden in December. Meanwhile for Jilju Hara, who was found to be lame after the race, it was a third defeat from seven outings. Also disappointing was the well-backed Haste. The locally foaled filly led the field chasing Jilju Hara in the early stages of the race and also tired in the straight.

Busan Ilbo Cup – Busan Race Park – 1400M – Mar 22, 2009

1. Mighty Hero (USA) [Buddha – Pretty Pretty (Silver Deputy)] – Jo Chang Wook – 5.2
2. Graceful Ballerina (USA) [Posse – Royal Ballerina (Farma Way)] – Chae Gyu Jun – 12.1
3. Mentor (KOR) [Testa Rossa – Crystal Decanter (Encosta De Lago)] – Park Geum Man – 18.9
Distances: 4 lengths/1 length – 14 ran

FULL RESULTS FROM BUSAN

FULL RESULTS FROM SEOUL

Full Field for Busan Ilbo

Fourteen will come under orders for the Busan Ilbo Cup this coming Sunday as Busan Race Park hosts its first big fillies race of the year. Among those lining up will be Japanese bred Jilju Hara who has won four of her six starts and US import Mighty Hero, who has run the fastest over the 1400 metre distance and comes into the race off the back of three straight wins. Three domestically foaled fillies will also be taking part with Galmaegi Kkum joined by Mentor and Haste, both of whom have suffered only one defeat in their careers so far.

The Busan Ilbo Cup is race 5 of a six race card at Busan on Sunday and comes under orders at 15:35. Full list of runners, records and riders:

Busan Ilbo Cup – Busan Race Park – 1400M – Mar 22, 2009

1. Neat Play (JPN) (14/1/3/4) – Moon Joong Won
2. Lady Pres (USA) (6/1/3/2) – Yang Young Nam
3. Haste (KOR) (4/3/0/1) – Ikuyasu Kurakane
4. Yeongwonhanhangbok (USA) (13/3/2/3) – Eiki Nishimura
5. Mighty Hero (USA) (6/3/0/0) – Jo Chang Wook
6. Galmaegi Kkum (KOR) (7/2/2/1) – Jo Chan Hoon
7. Charm And Harm (USA) (7/3/1/1) – Han Sang Gyu
8. Global Jeongsang (NZ) (7/2/1/0) – Lee Seung Jae
9. Jilju Hara (JPN) (6/4/1/0) – Kim Tae Jun
10. Mentor (KOR) (5/4/0/0) – Park Geum Man
11. Smart As Me (USA) (8/3/2/0) – Kim Eu Su
12. Phasmes (USA) (8/3/1/4) – Jo Sung Gon
13. Graceful Ballerina (USA) (14/3/1/4) Chae Gyu Jun
14. City Bon (USA) (8/3/2/1) – Martin Wepner

Lost Mountain Dies at 21

Sad news out of Jeju earlier this month as Lost Mountain, who had been standing at stud on the island for the past fifteen years, passed away on March 5 at the age of twenty one. He had been suffering from worsening arthritis for some time.

On the track, Lost Mountain [Cox’s Ridge – Space Angel (To The Quick)] was a winner of the 1991 Haskell Invitational, Peter Pan Stakes and Dwyer Stakes. Imported to Korea in 1994, he sired a number of strong performing runners, the best known of whom was Bicheonbong [Turn To You (Like You And Yours)] who won the President’s Cup in 2004.

Lost Mountain’s legacy could well be further enhanced this year with his son Nice Choice [Betty’s Rhapsody (Don’t Hesitate)] winning the 2008 Herald Business, the nation’s top two year old race and looking a strong contender for Triple Crown honours beginning next month with the KRA Cup Mile.

Stallions in Korea update / KRA Studbook