Racing Previews

Seoul Set For Derby Weekend

AJC & HRI Trophies on Saturday – JRA Trophy and the Derby on Sunday

The Derby is now less than two days away and it is, along with the Grand Prix, Korean racing’s biggest weekend of the year. See below for a full list of the Derby runners and riders and we’ll have a final preview on Saturday evening.

However, it’s not just the Derby this weekend. For the second consecutive year, the KRA has decided to combine its showpiece event with its traditional “International Exchange Races”. Saturday sees the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) and Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Trophies, while on Sunday the Japan Racing Association (JRA) Trophy precedes the Derby. These three races are some of the longest-establshed Stakes contests in Korea. Let’s take a look at this year’s editions:

AJC Trophy (Stakes) – Seoul, Race 9 – Saturday May 15 – 1400M

Restricted to Korean bred fillies and mares at class three and below, the cream of Korean racing isn’t exactly on show here but it should be an entertaining contest nonetheless. A full field of fourteen is entered and Isanghwa is favoured to get the better of fellow four-year old Ruby. Beomtti, Victor Hunter, Sangju Miin and White Dreamer should also come into consideration.

HRI Trophy (Stakes) – Seoul, Race 10 – Saturday May 15 – 1800M

Still for Korean bred class three and below, its open to colts too and Mr. Calgary could get the weekend off to a great start for jockey Jo In Kwen who rides Seonbongbulpae in Sunday’s Derby. He’ll have plenty of competition in a very open race. Cheotinsang is in good form, as is the improving Saebyeogi. A good case could be made for three-quarters of the fourteen strong field.

With Mr. Calgary & Seonbongbulpae, Jo In Kwen has a big weekend in store

We’ll have a preview of Sunday’s JRA Trophy tomorrow. Here’s what’s happening and where:

Saturday May 15

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:10
Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:10 to 17:50

Sunday May 16

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Here are the runners and riders in Sunday’s Derby – we’ll have a final preview on the blog on Saturday evening:

Korean Derby (KOR.GI) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – Sunday May 16, 2010 – 17:00

1. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] (5/2/1/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul
2. Gayabobae (KOR) [War Zone – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] (7/2/2/0) – Yang Hee Jin
3. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (6/4/0/0) – Kim Eu Soo
4. Seonbongbulpae (KOR) [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] (8/6/1/0) – Jo In Kwen
5. Forest Wind (KOR) [Capital Spending – Coffee Royale (Sword Dance)] (4/2/0/0) – Ham Wan Sik
6. Full Step (KOR) [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] (7/3/1/2) – Oh Kyoung Hoan
7. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] (10/2/5/2) – Park Geum Man
8. Northern Ace (KOR) [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] (4/4/0/0) – Moon Se Young
9. Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] (7/6/1/0) – Park Tae Jong
10. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (5/1/4/0) – Chae Gyu Jun
11. The Almighty (KOR) [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] (5/2/1/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
12. Donghae Gangho (KOR) [Psychobabble – Nae Myeon (Somalia)] (14/2/1/3) – Kim Yong Geun

* Thanks to Fallight and Roar for the video uploads.

Weekend Preview

It’s almost the weekend and racing is back! Cards are mostly low-key with the Derby just a week away but a Classic winner will be in action at Busan on Friday in the shape of Namdo Jeap, while at Seoul Angus Empire and Lucky Mountain will be on show. Here’s what’s happening:

Friday May 7

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

Saturday May 8

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:35

Sunday May 9

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Weekend Preview

Sangseung Ilro goes for the Gukje Sinmun

There’s a big weekend of racing in store on the peninsula with the Gukje Sinmun Cup at Busan providing the highlight. Two weeks before this year’s edition, the winner of last year’s Korean Derby, Sangseung Ilro, will take on foreign-bred opposition for the first time as she heads up an extremely competitive field for the seven furlong race.

Also flying the flag for Korea will be Yeongung Manse and New World Record as they go up against some of the track’s best performers including Crafty Louis and Jilju Hara as well as Busan Ilbo Cup winner Smart As Me and up-and-comers Useung Geotap and Captain Sir. The big race is off at 3:40pm on Sunday afternoon and will be simulcast live to Seoul Race Park. See below for a full list of runners, records and riders, but first, here are the details of all the weekend’s action:

Friday April 30

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

Saturday May 1

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:35

Sunday May 2

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Gukje Sinmun Stakes – Busan Race Park – 1400M – May 2, 2010 – 15.40

1. Sangseung Ilro (KOR) F(11/6/2/2) – Yang Young Nam
2. Smart As Me (USA) M (11/5/2/0) – Hwang Jong Woo
3. Useung Geotap (USA) F (7/5/0/0) – Jo Sung Gon
4. New World Record (KOR) C (17/3/4/2) – Kim Dong Young
5. Yeongung Manse (KOR) G (21/10/4/2) – Chae Gyu Jun
6. Jilju Hara (JPN) M (17/5/3/1) – Choi Si Dae
7. Captain Sir (USA) C (8/5/3/0) – Kim Eu Soo
8. Jungwon Jepae (AUS) C (14/4/4/0) – Martin Wepner
9. Rolling On Strong (USA) F (14/4/1/3) – Song Keong Yun
10. Angle Slam (USA) H (47/8/7/8) – Gu Min Sung
11. Cheogo Beoltong C (AUS) (11/4/1/0) – Lee Sung Jae
12. Crafty Louis (USA) 8 (37/14/4/3) – Jo Chang Wook

Seoul Sunday Selections

From a sporting perspective, Gyongmaman is finding it hard to get excited about the racing this weekend. It’s just three weeks until the Derby and all that entails, while even next weekend has Sangseung Ilro, last year’s Derby winner, going for the Gukje Sinmun Stakes at Busan.

But this week it’s distinctly low-key. Luckily it’s by far the most beautiful weekend so far this year weather-wise so Gyongmaman will be at Seoul Race Park again tomorrow and he’s in a punting mood. These are what he will be losing his money on:

Race 1: Open contest in that most runners are equally bad. Hwa Jin (Number 7) should offer value as well as a decent each-way chance.
Race 2: Legal Lady (8) will be heavy odds-on.
Race 3: Any of five or six could win, one of whom is Ilson (6).
Race 4: Capture Enemy (5) can win at last.
Race 5: Competitive race in which a number can be expected to improve. One of them is Chicken Game (1) but he’ll have to beat Bada Olle (4).
Race 6: Fortunata (2) should be winning this all fillies race.
Race 7: Big things were expected of Bonsol (10) and Oh My Sun (11). Both have better chances than Choegang Combi (6) but that is who Gyongmaman will be on.
Race 8: Dream Heart (4) can break his maiden at the twenty-fourth attempt. Old favourite To The Champ is there too but won’t feature at the finish.
Race 9: Hushtilled (2) needs to win to get back in the Oaks picture.
Race 10: Difficult to call between Money Teukgeup (2) and Daesahyeong (1) so let’s go for an outsider in the shape of Cheongnyeongsaji (9).
Race 11: A thirteen runner conundrum to end with. Suseong Equus (5) is the logical answer.

* On Saturday at Seoul Race Park, Free Woody was the surprise winner of the feature handicap. The five-year old just beat-out Machine Gun and Hwangnyongsaji by a neck on the line.

Weekend Preview

It’s almost the weekend and that means racing is back. Busan kicks things off on the peninsula on Friday with ten races and Miss Ecton, Golding, Nuri Choegang, Hardride and Dandi will be among those looking to get back among the winners in a competitive feature race.

Busan also sees the pick of Sunday’s action with Derby hopeful Cheonnyeon Daero getting his last prep-race in before the big day at Seoul next month. He’ll be tested over the Derby distance in class 1 company.

Like last week, it’s a reasonably low-key weekend at Seoul. The feature race is on Saturday when Gi Ra Seong heads the weights in a handicap also featuring regular winners Good Day and Machine Gun.

Friday April 23

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

Saturday April 24

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

Sunday April 25

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Weekend Preview

Bally Brae at Seoul / Ponies go for the Halla Ilbo on Jeju

After the excitement of the Ttukseom Cup a week ago, there’s a slightly lower-key weekend of racing on the peninsula ahead. Nevertheless, there’s still plenty to maintain the interest.

Bally Brae heads the field in the feature race of the weekend, which takes place at Seoul on Saturday. The former horse-of-the-year once more faces regular rivals, Vicar Love, Baekjeonmupae, and Dankee’s Pal among a thirteen strong field.

Down at Busan, Friday sees the track’s 2009 champion juvenile Night Moves make her first attempt at class 1 – she’ll carry top weight over seven furlongs against a field which includes a pair of horses from last year’s Derby trail, Impeccable and Sandeomi. In terms of this year’s Classic hunt, Saeroun Taeyang makes his first appearance since finishing fifth in the KRA Cup Mile two weeks ago when he goes in race 5 on Sunday over the Derby distance of nine furlongs.

On Jeju Island, the Jeju ponies will run for the Halla Ilbo Cup, one of the biggest races of the year. Topping the weights with a whopping 75 kilos to carry are the two four-year olds Hwanghaemyengsan and Hanramyyeongseng.

Friday April 16

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

Saturday April 17

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

Sunday April 18

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Weekend Preview – Baekpa Is Back

Baekpa, Triple Seven, Lucky Mountain go for Ttukseom Cup

After Baekgwang made a glorious return to the track last year with his career seemingly cruelly cut short, it’s the turn of little sister Baekpa to make her own comeback after an absence of nearly a year and a half.

The 2007 Korean Oaks and 2008 Sports Seoul winner will line up for the Group 3 Ttukseom Cup at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon. She last appeared in the Grand Prix race back in 2008 before being sent for an ill-advised and ill-fated stint in the USA.

The now six-year old grey will have an uphill task to claim a race that used to be considered as the first leg of the Korean Triple Crown. Lucky Mountain, Triple Seven, Namchonuijijon, Baengnyeonbong and Holy Dreamer are among a very competitive field going to post for the race named after the former home of Seoul Racecourse.

The Ttukseom Cup is the highlight of a weekend which also sees Seoul’s best horse in action. Dongbanui Gangja goes in race 11 on Saturday.

Full list of Ttukseom Cup runners and riders (Name/pedigree/age/sex/record/Jockey):

Ttukseom Cup (G.III) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Sunday April 11, 2010, 17:00

1. Triple Seven [The Groom is Red – Impudence (Grand Lodge)] 5-H-(25/8/3/6) – Choi Beom Hyun
2. Giant Rose [Pacific Bounty – Kiss My Goldie (Candie’s Gold)] 5-M-(22/5/3/3) – Moon Jung Kyun
3. Baekpa [Revere – Grey Crest (Gold Crest)] 6-M-(22/8/5/2) – Yoo Seung Wan
4. Lucky Mountain [Silent Warrior – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] 5-M-(26/8/7/7) – Park Tae Jong
5. New Rider [Road Of War – Flyin Kristen (Exclusive Gem)] 7-H-(48/6/6/3) – Moon Se Young
6. Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] 4-C-(16/6/1/5) – Oh Kyoung Hoan
7. Namchonuijijon [Concept Win – Intriga (Lord At Law)] 6-H-(30/6/8/4) – Jung Ki Yong
8. Indiana Dream [Buster’s Daydream – Momento’s Pride (Momento)] 5-H-(24/5/4/3) – Jo In Kwen
9. Khanui Huye [The Groom Is Red – Noble Michelle (Flow Technology)] 4-C-(16/5/3/1) – Ham Wan Sik
10. Lucky Seven [Didyme – Agent Flirt (Double Agent)] 8-G-(31/5/7/2) – Lee Sang Hyeok
11. Holy Dreamer [Duality – Nice Weather (Future Storm)] 4-G-(11/7/0/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul
12. Hallyu Star [Sharp Appeal – Angel (Land Rush)] 7-G-(41/7/6/3) – Choi Won Joon
13. Grandzif [Mujaazif – Knight Blues (Knight’s Choice)] 5-M-(26/4/7/3) – Kim Dong Min
14. Gangho Jewang [Road Of War – Chinsongwon (Glorify)] 5-G-(21/5/2/5) – Yoo Sang Wan

Friday April 9

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

Saturday April 10

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

Sunday April 11

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30

Baekpa’s Oaks:

Weekend Preview

KRA Cup Mile / Tough Win vs Bulpae Gisang / Florida Sox

A massive weekend of racing on the peninsula is headed-up by the first jewel in the 2010 Korean Triple Crown, the KRA Cup Mile at Busan Race Park this Sunday (see full preview below). However, that is just the highlight of an exciting three days of racing.

Florida Sox in the Segye Ilbo Winner's Circle

On Saturday at Seoul, three-year old filly Florida Sox, the impressive winner of the Segye Ilbo Stakes in February, returns to the track when she’ll take on mainly males over 1800 metres – two furlongs further than she’s been before. Whether she can manage two turns will be the decisive factor against beatable opposition.

One horse who took a while to adjust to two turns was Seonbongbulpae, but last year’s champion two-year old was a winner last time out and is back in action on Sunday. Once the KRA Cup Mile is out-of-the-way, Seoul has its own intriguing Sunday feature race. Busan Metropolitan winner Bulpae Gisang, rated second only to Dongbanui Gangja in Korea, will go up against Tough Win, the unbeaten three-year old. The younger horse has been able to cruise to victory in all his outings to date. Now we get a chance to find out how good he really is.

Friday April 2

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday April 3

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:10, last 17:20

Sunday April 4

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:10
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:35

Triple Crown 2010: Full Field For KRA Cup Mile

It’s Seoul vs Busan and the first leg of the 2010 Korean Triple Crown as fourteen of the peninsula’s most talented colts line up for the KRA Cup Mile – “The Korean Guineas” – at Busan Race Park this coming Sunday.

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

KRA Cup Mile (KOR.G.II) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – Apr 4, 2010, 15:45

1. Money Car [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] (6/5/1/0) – Park Tae Jong
Heading the Northern raiders, Money Car has looked untouchable at every distance since an inauspicious debut. Will he take to Busan’s brutally difficult track? If he does, he’ll be hard to beat.
2. Baekjeom Manjeom [Fiercely – Mia Victoria (Flying Victor)] (5/3/1/0) – Jo Chang Wook
Didn’t impress in good company over a mile last time but knows how to win.
3. Dangdae Bulpae [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (5/4/0/0/) – Martin Wepner
Wepner already has a Korean Classic to his name and could get another. Dangdae Bulpae was an impressive winner over a mile last time out.
4. Mega Tough [Concept Win – Keu Roo (March Magic)] (5/1/2/2) – Lim Sung Sil
One of two entrants for Australian trainer Peter Wolsley. Mega Tough only broke his maiden last time out – that was at nine furlongs, having been third in his only run over a mile.
5. The Almighty [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] (4/2/1/0) – Shin Hyoung Chul
Has never gone more than six and a half furlongs and is completely unproven in this company. Nevertheless,with two wins and a second from three races, he knows where he is supposed to be at the end of the race.
6. Daewan [The Groom Is Red – Greatgrama (Border Guard)] (8/2/2/0) – Kim Hong Il
Will he run? All of trainer Kim Young Kwan’s horses have been scratched the past two weeks. If he does run, he’ll have his work cut out to win for the trainer who scooped all three of last year’s Triple Crown races.
7. Almighty Hit [Concept Win – Dixie Snow (Dixie Brass)] (7/2/3/0) – Park Geum Man
Second behind Dangdae Bulpae last time out, one of three second places. He’s worth a bet to place again.
8. Forest Wind [Capital Spending – Coffee Royale (Sword Dance)] (3/2/0/0) – Ham Wan Sik
A smart winner on both his last two outings but like stablemate The Almighty, has done little to suggest he’ll be competing for top honours here. Place at most.
9. Saeroun Taeyang [Volponi – Glorious Thunder (Thunder Gulch)] (7/3/1/0) – Hitomi Miyashita
Made it up to class 2 racing early and has competed over a mile twice before, fourth being his best finish. The second of Peter Wolsley’s two runners, an overseas trainer and jockey connection would not be welcomed on the backstretch but would be welcomed elsewhere.
10. Glory Yeonggwang [Didyme – Lady Sandido (Sandrigo)] (7/2/1/2) – Jo Chan Hoon
Plenty of experience including a second place finish over a mile. Was runner-up to Almighty Hit last time out.
11. Cheonnyeon Daero [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] (8/2/5/1) – Jo Sung Gon
Never worse than third in eight races and is a winner at class 2 over the distance. Purely on caliber of horses he’s beaten, he’s worth supporting – however, six out of eight times, something has gotton the better of him.
12. Triple Sinhwa [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (4/1/3/0) – Chae Gyu Jun
A late entry, Triple Sinhwa was a surprise winner at his first attempt at a class 3 race two weeks ago. That was at two furlongs less than he’ll be running on Sunday though.
13. Silver Mon [Distilled – Silver Fizz (Cee’s Tizzy)] (6/2/1/1) – Boo Min Ho
Seoul’s final challenger is the grey Silver Mon. Disappointing in the Herald Business last season but a surprise third place over eight and a half furlongs on his season debut may have persuaded connections to think he is going to excel at the mile.
14. Udeumji [Yehudi – Lady Dignity (Nordico)] (7/1/0/2) – Kim Yong Geun
Has been in indifferent form of late and there’s no real reason why that should change on Sunday. An outsider.

Weekend Preview

With the Triple Crown getting underway next weekend, this week sees a low-key three days of racing on the peninsula with the best three-year olds safely in their stables and only three class 1 races; two at Busan, one at Seoul.

Friday’s feature at Busan is over a mile and is an open race with Lucky Dancer, Galmaegi Kkum and old favourite Procyon involved. On Sunday at the Gyeongnam Province track, the main race sees seven go in a handicap rescheduled from two weeks ago when racing was called off following Park Jin Hee’s suicide. King Kephalos and Crafty Louis are joined by Seonnyang Yongsa and the three-year old import Captain Sir over ten furlongs.

At Seoul, Sunday has the pick of the action. Gi Ra Seong is yet to strike this year but is in contention for the feature race along with Taesanbukdu and the now six-year old Namchonuijijon.

Friday March 26

Busan Race Park: 10 races, first post 12:00, last 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 13:30, last 17:30

Saturday March 27

Seoul Race Park: 12 races, first post 11:20, last 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races, first post 12:10, last 17:20

Sunday March 28

Seoul Race Park: 11 races, first post 11:20, last 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races, first post 12:40, last 16:30