Racing Previews

Friday Night Wine & Winners

An eleven race card to get stuck into tomorrowat Seoul but first off a word about today’s racing at Busan where the feature event was won by Toshio Uchida on the 3/1 favourite Lucky Dancer. Lucky Dancer’s trainer was Peter Wolsley and with the win, the Australian moves up to third, behind only Kim Young Kwan and Baik Kwang Yeol, in terms of number of winners saddled over the past year with 43. With a number of quality horses in his stable, that elusive Stakes win can’t be far away.

Back On Top: Toshio Uchida(Pic: KRA)

As for Uchida it was business as usual with two winners. The Japanese jockey has recorded 39 victories since his return to Korea last November and is now back firmly established as the track’s top rider.

On to the business at hand and ss usual, we are mainly looking for value that for a small win bet (2,000won) and a larger place (4,000won) should provide a decent return even if not many actually win. Both Singgerounachim and Manchester Miss should be heavy favourites so don’t bother with the place on them. And remember, Gyongmaman bets for his meals but eats instant ramen every day – here’s why this week:

Saving the Kendall-Jackson to toast some winners on Saturday

Race 1: Sylvia Green (1)
Race 2: A.P. Plus (8)
Race 3: Neulsarang (12)
Race 4: Aragaya (10)
Race 5: Bravo Together (7)
Race 6: Hanhyeolhwasin (9)
Race 7: Singgerounachim (8)
Race 8: Richmond Hwanhui (1)
Race 9: Wonerful Sun (3)
Race 10: Cheonun (1)
Race 11: Manchester Miss (5)

It’s been a wet twenty-four hours in the capital but things should have dried out by the time racing gets underway at Seoul on Saturday at 11:10. There are eleven races through to 17:30 with three races being simulcasted from the pony race meeting on Jeju Island.

Weekend Preview

Here’s what’s happening when and where on a weekend where Bulkkot Gisang (Langfuhr) makes her class 1 debut at Busan and Tough Win (Yonaguska) is in action at Seoul:

Friday April 22

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

Saturday April 23

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

Sunday April 24

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:00

Weekend Preview: Ttukseom Cup

Dangdae Bulpae, Cheonnyeon Daero, Yeonseung Daero, Namdo Jeap Come To Seoul

Korean horse racing is, if truth be told, generally just the most popular of the three legal gambling games on the peninsula. And the only one open on the weekend. Be it the Korean Derby or a class 6 maiden, for the vast majority of punters every race is just a number, another punting opportunity.

Not that this is much different to anywhere else but the huge crowds and the atmospheric summer evenings notwithstanding, the sterility of some big race days in Korea can be quite off-putting to the race fan. The KRA knows how to hype a race with slick video packages but the feeling is always unavoidable: apart from connections, very few people actually care about the name of the horse that wins the race. It’s the numbers in the quinella that count.

Triple Seven wins last year's Ttukseom Cup

This Sunday, however, is one of the few days on the racing calendar where history gets honoured in the shape of the GIII Ttukseom Cup, so named to remember of the location of the old Seoul Racecourse on the north bank of the River Han. It’s a race which has been run every year since the current track opened in Gwacheon in 1989 with winners including the great J.S. Hold, who claimed the race when it was run as the first leg of the Triple Crown series in 2007.

Classic Winner Dangdae Bulpae has never lost at Seoul

This year marks a new chapter in the race as for the first time, horses from Busan have been invited to the capital. And the Southern track is sending its A-Team in the shape of three classic winners; Namdo Jeap, Cheonnyeon Daero and Dangdae Bulpae who will all drop down to seven furlongs along with prolific winners Yeonseung Daero and Triple Sinhwa for an assault on the Cup. Seoul, still reeling after its best three year olds suffered a shock reverse in the KRA Cup Mile a fortnight ago, will have a hard time keeping the trophy on home soil. Its best hope may come in the shape of last year’s winner Triple Seven. The big race is underway at 4:35pm on Sunday and is race 9 of 11 at Seoul. See below for a full list of runners and riders but first, here’s what’s happening when and where this weekend:

Friday April 15

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

Saturday April 16

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday April 17

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:05
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:05

* The Ttukseom Cup will be run over seven furlongs and is open to Korean born horses aged four years old and up. Two mares, Golden Rose and Tamna Hero will be involved. Here’s a run down of the runners, pedigree, race records (races/1sts/2nds/3rds), riders and home tracks of all fourteen runners:

Ttukseom Cup (KOR.GIII) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Sunday Apr 17, 16:35

1. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] – (15/10/1/1) – Jo Sung Gon (Busan)
2. Best Holls (KOR) [Fierecely – Onethindime (Tactical Advantage)] – (15/5/1/2) – Jung Ki Yong (Seoul)
3. Suseong TX (KOR) [Concept Win – Oktong-I (Kyoei Blossom)] – (21/7/4/4) – Moon Se Young (Seoul)
4. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] – (15/6/6/0) – You Hyun Myung (Busan)
5. Golden Rose (KOR) [Buster’s Daydream – Pop’s Apple (Digangi’s Grinder)] – (21/5/3/3) – Moon Jung Kyun (Seoul)
6. Tamna Hero (KOR) [Creek Cat – The Big C (Deputed Testamony)] (25/8/4/3) – Chae Gyu Jun (Busan)
7. Wangson (KOR) [Distilled – Eastern Tide (Far Out East)] – (17/8/3/1) – Cho Kyoung Ho (Seoul)
8. Tamnahwanhui (KOR) [Al Naba – Bulbijihye (Pro For Sure)] – (18/5/3/1) – Kim Cheol Ho (Seoul)
9. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – (30/13/6/4) – Choi Si Dae (Busan)
10. Namdo Jeap (KOR) [Ft. Stockton – Wandering Katie (Tejano)] – (27/8/7/4) – Kim Dong Young (Busan)
11. Baengnyeonbong (KOR) [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] – [(25/7/2/7) – Oh Kyoung Hoan (Seoul)
12. The Almighty (KOR) [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] – (15/5/3/0) – Ham Wan Sik (Seoul)
13. Triple Seven (KOR) [The Groom Is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] – (34/12/4/7) – Choi Bum Hyun (Seoul)
14. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] – (19/7/7/2) – Park Geum Man (Busan)

Friday Night Soju & Selections

So the wine really didn’t work last week. This week, we’re going for something altogether more Korean. Soseuldaemun put Seoul to the sword last week by claiming the KRA Cup Mile – the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown – for Busan, but there’s a competitive eleven race card in the capital this Saturday.

Radioactive Sandstorms Expected This Weekend is the kind of headline that Gyongmaman has always wanted to be involved in and it looks like it’s going to happen. Here’s what he will be losing what little remains of his money on:

Race 1: Bunsuryeong
Race 2: Golden Ticket
Race 3: SS Icheon
Race 4: Euro Gangse
Race 5: Triple Gamdong
Race 6: Noble Harmony
Race 7: Wingwing
Race 8: Dan Land
Race 9: Ppopai
Race 10: Holy Dreamer
Race 11: Maskan

Gyongmaman doesn’t do favourites. The majority of this lot are not going to win. So he recommends a small amount (maybe 2,000 won) on each to win and a smaller amount (maybe 4,000won) to place. You’ll not get rich but with any luck, you won’t go bankrupt either. Radioactive or not, it’s going to be a little bit sandy but nevertheless, come racing! Here’s what’s happening when and where on Saturday and Sunday:

Saturday April 9

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

Sunday April 10

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:00

Weekend Preview: April 8, 9, 10

It’s going to be alternately wet and/or dusty. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday April 8

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

Saturday April 9

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

Sunday April 10

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:10 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:00

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