Racing Previews

Sun Hero Heads Open KRA Cup Mile

Any one of fourteen can claim first leg of 2011 Triple Crown Series

It’s here. The first leg of the 2011 Korean Triple Crown Challenge Series is at Busan Race Park this Sunday afternoonas fourteen of the nation’s best three year olds go to post for the Korean 2000 Guineas – the KRA Cup Mile.

And it’s a very open contest. Seoul supplies eight of the entrants including Breeders’ Cup winner and Champion Juvenile of 2010 Sun Hero and the colt is one of five by the sire Menifee among the field. He has a great chance, as does filly Useung Touch, a shock third in the Breeders’ Cup last November but unbeaten since, albeit it at distances less than the mile she’ll have to travel tomorrow.

That distance won’t be a problem for Singgerounachim. A relatively latecomer to the Triple Crown trail, the colt stunned the much-hyped Ophelia in a race at Seoul in late February to put himself right in contention for big honours. Meanwhile the grey Ophelia will be looking to restore his reputation by taking victory in what seems the hardest to call Classic race in Korea for quite some time.

There will be support for the Toshio Uchida ridden Soseuldaemun while Vicar colt Beongaegangho can’t be overlooked. The big race is underway at Busan at 16:15, the highlight of a six race card, and will be beamed back live to Seoul Race Park where there are eleven live races. It’s going to be a beautiful day and whatever happens, drama is assured on one of the biggest days on the Korean racing calendar.

Here’s another look at the full list of runners and riders:

KRA Cup Mile (KOR G.II) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – Apr 3, 2011 – 16:15

1. Soseuldaemun (KOR) [Meisei Opera – This Ole Way (Vigors)] (9/2/3/1) – Busan – Toshio Uchida
2. Mupaeseungni (KOR) [Ingrandire – Dangdae Eutteum (Pro For Sure)] (4/3/0/0) – Seoul – Jung Ki Yong
3. 9. Double Light (KOR) [Menifee – Iruda (Glorify)] (7/3/2/1) – Seoul – Cho Kyoung Ho
4. Haengunui Mannam (KOR) [Creek Cat – Clever Lil (Lil’s Lad)] (Filly) (5/2/3/0) – Busan – Hitomi Miyashita
5.Useung Touch (KOR) [Menifee – Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] (Filly) (5/3/1/1) – Busan – Choi Si Dae
6. Daeseung Yegam (KOR) [Silent Warrior – Tolp’ung-Yegam (Land Rush)] (9/3/1/1) – Busan – Jo Chang Wook
7. Beongaegangho (KOR) [Vicar – Carson City Dancer (Carson City)] (7/2/2/1) – Seoul – Choi Bum Hyun
8. Reigns Cat (KOR) [Creek Cat – Eternal Reigns (Eternal Orange)] (7/2/2/0) – Seoul – Park Eul Woon
9. Cheonji Horyeong (KOR) [Buster’s Daydream – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] (7/2/2/1) – Busan – Chae Gyu Jun
10. Ophelia (KOR) [Commendable – Miss Personality (El Prado)] (5/2/3/0) – Seoul – Moon Jung Kyun
11. Sun Hero (KOR) [Menifee – Strategic Reward (Bold Revenue)] (8/4/2/1) – Seoul – Moon Se Young
12. Sun Blaze (KOR) [Menifee – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (6/2/3/0) – Seoul – Park Tae Jong
13. Flower (KOR) [Menifee – Fancy Cheeks (Jade Robbery)] (Filly) (6/2/2/1) – Busan – Kim Myoung Sin
14. Singgeureounachim (KOR) [Exploit – Singgeureoun (Mr. Adorable)] (7/2/1/2) – Seoul – Jo In Kwen

Friday Night Wine & Wagering

Busan Friday Round-Up / Saturday’s Punts

Well before we get stuck into that, it’s worth catching up a little with some action from the first day of the KRA Cup Mile meeting at Busan this afternoon. Three weeks ago, American trainer Joe Murphy scored his first ever Korean winner after several months of trying. Today he got his second. And it was a big one as 17/1 shot Udeumji took out the afternoon’s feature race by a length and a half from odds-on favourite Winning Perfect.

Murphy has thirteen horses in his barn at the moment. Udeumji is one of two who compete at class 1 level – the other being Isidore Farm’s Ganghan Yeoja, formerly trained by fellow foreigner Peter Wolsley. Speaking of foreigners, Japanese pair Toshio Uchida and Yoshi Aoki both scored victories in the saddle today. Aoki won race 8 on Isidae Yeongung while Uchida took race 7 on US gelding Viva Ace (Macho Uno); the three-year old now has four wins from his seven starts, finishing second on the other three occasions.

Back to the matter in hand. Gyongmaman’s picks actually made a little profit last week – and to clarify, it was the picks that made the profit, not Gyongmaman as he had long since left the track by the time Victory Camp scored an unlikely third place at long odds in race 13 to push us well into positive territory.

This Saturday sees just eleven races at Seoul – there are three pony races simulcasted from Jeju compared to the usual two. Again we’ll mostly look for value and recommend a small win bet (2000 won) and a larger place bet (4000 won). However, look at the tote board as the place may be a bit of a waste of time on some of them:

Race 1: Haengbok Party (8)
Race 2: Value Pride (3)
Race 3: Daeseongcheonha (8)
Race 4: Kkumuichukje (7)
Race 5: Pyeongchangolympic (9)
Race 6: Prete Ingran (6)
Race 7: Songdoteukgeup (12)
Race 8: I ppeun Jit (10)
Race 9: Taewangseong (2)
Race 10: Baekjeonmupae (3)
Race 11: Baekbongnyeong (6)

Value Pride and Baekjeonmupae will most likely be odds-on while Gyongmaman always bets on Pyeongchangolympic in support of Pyeongchang City’s rather touching continual bids to host the Winter Olympic Games (and, Yu Na notwithstanding, the next disappointment is due in less than 100 days). Likewise he finds himself betting on Songdoteukgeup as he has become intimately acquainted with Songdo – “The Dubai of Korea” (without the racing) – recently. Scientific handicapping this isn’t.

Remember it’s the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the 2011 Korean Triple Crown Challenge Series this Sunday at Busan. Here’s what’s happening when and where for the rest of the weekend:

Saturday April 2

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday April 3

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:10

Weekend Preview: Invasion!

Seoul Sends Eight For KRA Cup Mile Assault

It’s Triple Crown time. Final declarations have been made for the season’s first classic, the KRA Cup Mile – also known as “the Korean 2000 Guineas”, which will be run at Busan Race Park this coming Sunday. And there will be a big contingent from the capital in Busan this weekend with eight of the fourteen starters for the Cup Mile travelling down from Seoul for the event.

See below for a full list of runners and riders, but first up here’s what’s happening when and where on the first weekend in April:

Friday April 1

Busan Race Park: 9 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday April 2

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday April 3

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:10

The KRA Cup Mile is at Busan 16:15 on Sunday afternoon and will be simulcasted live back to Seoul Race Park. Eight jockeys will also travel down from the capital to partner the Seoul-based horses which means that while some of Busan’s biggest names such as Jo Sung Gon and You Hyun Myung are without a ride, the Seoul weighing room will be rather quiet place on Sunday.

Among the six Busan jockeys who do have a ride in the big race are Japanese pair Toshio Uchida and Hitomi Miyashita. They will be bidding to emulate Australian Garry Baker, who won the Cup Mile in 2007 – albeit before the race became part of the Triple Crown series.

Well have a final run-down of the field on Saturday evening but in the meantime, here is the full list of runners with pedigrees, race records, home track and rider:

KRA Cup Mile (KOR G.II) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – Apr 3, 2011 – 16:15

1. Soseuldaemun (KOR) [Meisei Opera – This Ole Way (Vigors)] (9/2/3/1) – Busan – Toshio Uchida
2. Mupaeseungni (KOR) [Ingrandire – Dangdae Eutteum (Pro For Sure)] (4/3/0/0) – Seoul – Jung Ki Yong
3. 9. Double Light (KOR) [Menifee – Iruda (Glorify)] (7/3/2/1) – Seoul – Cho Kyoung Ho
4. Haengunui Mannam (KOR) [Creek Cat – Clever Lil (Lil’s Lad)] (Filly) (5/2/3/0) – Busan – Hitomi Miyashita
5.Useung Touch (KOR) [Menifee – Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] (Filly) (5/3/1/1) – Busan – Choi Si Dae
6. Daeseung Yegam (KOR) [Silent Warrior – Tolp’ung-Yegam (Land Rush)] (9/3/1/1) – Busan – Jo Chang Wook
7. Beongaegangho (KOR) [Vicar – Carson City Dancer (Carson City)] (7/2/2/1) – Seoul – Choi Bum Hyun
8. Reigns Cat (KOR) [Creek Cat – Eternal Reigns (Eternal Orange)] (7/2/2/0) – Seoul – Park Eul Woon
9. Cheonji Horyeong (KOR) [Buster’s Daydream – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] (7/2/2/1) – Busan – Chae Gyu Jun
10. Ophelia (KOR) [Commendable – Miss Personality (El Prado)] (5/2/3/0) – Seoul – Moon Jung Kyun
11. Sun Hero (KOR) [Menifee – Strategic Reward (Bold Revenue)] (8/4/2/1) – Seoul – Moon Se Young
12. Sun Blaze (KOR) [Menifee – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (6/2/3/0) – Seoul – Park Tae Jong
13. Flower (KOR) [Menifee – Fancy Cheeks (Jade Robbery)] (Filly) (6/2/2/1) – Busan – Kim Myoung Sin
14. Singgeureounachim (KOR) [Exploit – Singgeureoun (Mr. Adorable)] (7/2/1/2) – Seoul – Jo In Kwen

A Tale Of Two Classic Cities

Will Busan Continue Its Triple Crown Domination?

When the final line-up for Sunday’s KRA Cup Mile is declared on Wednesday afternoon, there is likely to be a roughly equal number of horses from both Seoul and Busan taking part. While Seoul has the better known names, if performances in recent years are anything to go by, the ultimate winner is likely to hail from the Southern city.

Busan's Cheonnyeon Daero wins the 2010 Derby (Pic: Ross Holburt)

While Seoul Race Park is the undoubted headquarters of Korean horse racing, since Busan horses started competing in the three-year old Classic races in 2008, the capital’s horsemen have found themselves consistently losing out to those of the newer track down South. Of the nine colt Classics run in the past three years, Busan horses have won eight of them. They’ve also won two out of the past three runnings of the Korean Oaks.

So is it just chance or is Busan really doing something better than Seoul? Those with experience of both praise the set-up at Busan as being more conducive to the development of racing. In the capital – as has been mentioned ad-nauseum on this blog before – vested interests; the various unions and horsemen’s associations, really do run the show. There is little incentive to change the status-quo as it’s served them very well. Until that is, their biggest prizes of the year started disappearing down the Gyeongbu Expressway.

Busan's Double Classic winning filly Sangseung Ilro (Pic: KRA)

The unions have had less power at Busan and so – the theory goes – there has been more focus on delivering quality on the track. This is most visible in the success that foreign jockeys have had at Busan compared to Seoul. In Busan, talented jockeys will get rides, regardless of where they are from. Frankie Dettori would struggle to get a ride at Seoul.

It is absolutely proper that there are limits on the numbers of foreign jockeys granted licenses but the presence of talented ones can only be beneficial to local riders. Toshio Uchida may be “taking their money” now, but the likes of Jo Sung Gon and Park Geum Man are surely benefiting from riding alongside him; indeed both are now Classic winning jockeys.

It’s not only jockeys but also trainers. Busan has two foreign trainers – and more reportedly on the way – with Peter Wolsley now helming one of the track’s most successful barns. He’s not won a classic but again, could it be that the competition is raising the all around standard?

On a more practical level, another theory is simply that regularly training on the challenging Busan track produces better horses. Busan has a punishing uphill back-straight, a long sweeping level turn, and then a two and a half furlong stretch. Seoul meanwhile has a reasonably flat back-straight and a steep descent around the turn into the two-furlong home-straight. It’s plausible and is frequently mentioned in the Korean racing media. Or it could just play into the stereotype that eveyone from the capital – both man and beast – is well…a bit soft.

Busan's Dangdae Bulpae and Jo Sung Gon win the Minister's Cup

There is an anomaly though. Imported horses who are based at Seoul have, in the few races in which they have taken on their Busan counterparts, generally come out on top. Bulpae Gisang and Tough Win have won the last two editions of the Busan Metropolitan while Dongbanui Gangja claimed the first Grand Prix to which Busan horses were also invited. Of course, Busan’s Mister Park put an end to that by winning the 2010 Grand Prix but even so, it is worth asking whether Busan owners are just choosing better lots at the yearling and two-year old sales.

They’re certainly spending more money. At the recent March two-year old sales on Jeju Island, Busan buyers were responsible for the three most expensive lots: a filly by Menifee and colts by Forest Camp and El Corredor. If all goes to plan, they’ll be making their track debuts this coming autumn. By which time this could of course, all be forgotten about. Horses from the capital filled the top to places in the Breeders’ Cup – the nation’s top two-year old race, last November. Maybe this will be the year that Seoul strikes back.

Here is a list of the classic winners since Seoul and Busan started competing in 2008:

2010
KRA Cup Mile: Money Car (Newsprint) – Seoul
Korean Derby: Cheonnyeon Daero (Creek Cat) – Busan
Korean Oaks: Euro Fighter (Archer City Slew) – Seoul
Minister’s Cup: Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) – Busan

2009
KRA Cup Mile: Sanseung Ilro (Concept Win) – Busan
Korean Derby: Sangseung Ilro (Concept Win) – Busan
Korean Oaks: Pangpang (Revere) – Busan
Minister’s Cup: Namdo Jeap (Ft. Stockton) – Busan

2008
KRA Cup Mile: Rainmaker (Revere) – Busan
Korean Derby: Ebony Storm (Buster’s Daydream) – Busan
Korean Oaks: Jeolho Chance (Didyme) – Busan
Minister’s Cup: Gaeseon Janggun (Duality) – Busan

Friday Night Wine & Wagering

Just one winner from twelve selections last week may indicate that this is one Friday night combination that doesn’t deserve to continue. Indeed that winner came in the very first race of the day and Gyongmaman hadn’t even arrived at the track in time to bet on it.

However, the combination of a couple of long shots managing to finish in the first three and a decent bottle of Chilean red on the shelves at Homeplus at a price giving greater value than Gyongmaman’s “wine tissue” suggested, means we’re giving it another go.

Saturday at Seoul provides thirteen opportunities for us to lose our hard-borrowedearned. For the most part, we’re trying to stay away from the favourites and looking for some value to have both a small win and a bigger place bet on – but always look at the tote board first. It’s not going to make us rich – try quinella-ing (is that a word?) them with another for that – but hopefully won’t bankrupt us either:

Race 1: Wangga (5)
Race 2: Senchingu (9)
Race 3: Beauty Cat (9)
Race 4: Rising Woman (9)
Race 5: Special Day (8)
Race 6: Blue Charming (6)
Race 7: Chuwolchupung (10)
Race 8: Juheulsan (9)
Race 9: Travel Zone (10)
Race 10: Gwangyajeil (2)
Race 11: Burning Sky (2)
Race 12: Saebyeogi (12)
Race 13: Victory Camp (10)

Gwangyajeil (race 10) was on the Triple Crown trail before his last disappointing outing but will now skip the KRA Cup Mile, the first jewel of the Crown (we’ll start our week long build-up to that race on Monday). He’ll need to win tomorrow to put himself back into the reckoning for the Korean Derby. Beauty Cat (race 3) will be odds-on but all the others will offer some value and it shouldn’t need many of them to come home in front to turn a profit. Not that Gyongmaman turns one of those very often (he blames twitter for distracting him at the track).

* 2008 Korean Derby winner Ebony Storm was back in the winner’s circle at Busan today after claiming the feature race. Now six, Ebony Storm, who was the longest shot on the board when he scored in the Derby during a torrential downpour at Seoul three years ago, won the seven furlong feature race by six lengths.

It’s become unexpectedly cold again this week but temperatures should hold up during the day. Here’s another summary of what’s happening for the rest of the weekend

Saturday March 26

Seoul Race Park: 13 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:30

Sunday March 27

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30

Weekend Preview: March 25, 26, 27

There are so many stories to write up. We’re only just over a week away from the KRA Cup Mile – the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown – looking at the line-up, it’s set to be a fascinating race and yet I haven’t done a preview yet! This is most remiss of me and will be addressed shortly but real life has rudely intervened recently.

This week is therefore very much the calm before the storm, but there’s still plenty going on this weekend to keep race fans occupied:

Friday March 25

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday March 26

Seoul Race Park: 13 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:30

Sunday March 27

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30

Friday Night Wine & Wagering

Yeonseung Daero and Cheonnyeon Daero both won at Busan and it’s Cheltenham Gold Cup Day in the UK. Gyongmaman therefore thought it forgivable to break his (lunar) New Year’s Resolution to not mix his two favourite habits beginning with “W”.

Therefore, here’s what he’ll be losing his money on at Seoul Race Park on Saturday:

Race 1: Vicar Dreamer (7)
Race 2: Eagle Stone (8)
Race 3: Hwiyeongcheong (4)
Race 4: Luck Be Star (4)
Race 5: Evergreen (10)
Race 6: Dongbangtamheom (3)
Race 7: Red Monster (11)
Race 8: Yodeongjewang (9)
Race 9: Manchester Miss (4)
Race 10: Mass Media’s Tea (11)
Race 11: Jilpunggangho (4)
Race 12: Lucky Box (4)

Some will be odds-on, some will be long-shots but all have a good chance of at least a place so look at the tote board and see where the value is. And remember, Gyongmaman bets for his subway fare and still has to walk home.

Here’s a reminder of what’s happening when and where on Saturday and Sunday:

Saturday March 19

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday March 20

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30

Weekend Preview: Busan Ilbo Stakes

Mai Beppu debuts at Seoul / Larrycat Vs Dongbanui Gangja

It’s one of the biggest fillies races of the season at Busan while Seoul gets its first ever foreign female jockey on a big weekend of racing in Korea.

The Busan Ilbo Stakes brings together some of the track’s highest rated imported fillies as well as some local hopefuls. Royale Embrace and Sangseung Geotap, both with four wins from five starts head the fourteen-strong field while of the Korean breds, the Pegasus Stables owned duo of Secret Whisper and Jungle Love could offer a strong challenge. See below for a full list of runners and riders.

Friday also sees a pair of hig class races at Busan. In the first of co-features, 2010 Derby winner Cheonnyeon Daero should pick up antoher win while a race later, Yeonseung Daero once more looks set to bully a field of imports.

In the capital, the feature race is on Sunday as Larrycat faces Dongbanui Gangja over ten furlongs. With the race not being a handicap, double Grand Prix champion Dongbanui Gangja will for once not carry top weight. If he can run in a straight line, he has every chance of returning to the winner’s circle for the first time in nearly a year. It is, however, a big “if”.

Also at Seoul, young Japanese jockey Mai Beppu makes her debut. Beppu, who rode in the International Lady Jockey Invitational at Busan in 2009, becomes the track’s first foreign female jockey. She debuts in race 9 on Saturday.

Here’s what’s happening when and where at Korean tracks this weekend:

Friday March 18

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday March 19

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday March 20

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30

And here is a full list of runners and riders (with sire and race records) for Sunday’s Busan Ilbo Stakes:

Busan Ilbo Stakes – Busan Race Park – 1400M – Sunday March 20, 2011, 15:35

1. Queen Of Rain (USA) [Lion Heart] (6/2/1/2) – Jo Sung Gon
2. Myeongmun Bobae (AUS) [Footstepsinthesand] (20/2/2/6) – Kim Tae Kyung
3. Secret Whisper (KOR) [Sea Of Secrets] (7/4/0/2) – Park Geum Man
4. Jungle Love (KOR) [Entrepreneur] (8/3/2/2) – Kim Nam Sung
5. Sangseung Geotap (USA) [Indian Charlie] (5/4/0/0) – Toshio Uchida
6. Allie’s Premo (USA) [Alex’s Pal] (10/2/2/3) – Jo Chang Wook
7. Lovely Woman (AUS) [Lion Heart] (10/4/2/1) – Hitomi Miyashita
8. Crown Flag (KOR) [Volponi] (20/1/3/7) – Kim Myoung Sin
9. Royale Embrace (USA) [Chapel Royal] (5/4/1/0) – You Hyun Myung
10. Geungnak Seonnyo (AUS) [Johannesburg] (25/1/4/3) – Yoshi Aoki
11. Gayatansaeng (NZ) [Elusive City] (10/2/3/3) – Chae Gyu Jun
12. Amateras (JPN) [Silver Charm] (29/1/7/1) – Choi Si Dae
13. Ecton Legacy (USA) [Ecton Park] (18/1/6/2) – Jo Chan Hoon
14. Saetbyeol (USA) [Yankee Gentleman] (16/2/2/4) – Lee Sung Jae

Weekend Preview: March 11, 12, 13

Gyongmaman doesn’t have much time these days – which is most annoying. It will all be sorted out very soon, however, and then we can get back into the normal routine of picking plenty of losers before the weekend begins.

For those with time, there’s plenty going on this weekend. Friday’s feature at Busan features a pair of Classic winners; 2008 Derby winner Ebony Storm and 2009 Minister’s Cup winner Namdo Jeap, while Saturday at Seoul has last year’s Ttukseom Cup winner Triple Seven in action. On Sunday, old favourite and former Horse of the Year, Bally Brae makes a quick return to action as he takes on Subsidy’s little brother Jumong, five years his junior. Jockey Moon Se Young opts for the younger horse.

After a chilly week it’s set to be a clear, bright and mild weekend. Come Racing! Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday March 11

Busan Race Park: 12 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday March 12

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday March 13

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30

Weekend Preview – March 4, 5, 6

Tough Win is at Seoul on Saturday and Grand Prix winner Mister Park is at Busan on Sunday. Here’s what’s happening when and where on the first weekend in March:

Friday March 4

Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday March 5

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:10 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday March 6

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 16:30