Racing Previews

Golding heads Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup field

Sunday is a big day for overseas bred horses in Korea with Seoul and Busan both hosting G3 races offering nearly KRW 150Million to their respective winners. Seoul hosts the KRA Cup Classic at 17:00 but first up is is the Gyeongsang-Namdo (South Gyeongsang Province) Governor’s Cup which will come under orders at Busan Race Park at 15:40. The race has attracted a number of veteran Busan horses such as Golding and Hangye Geukbok as well as younger challengers such as Florida Native and the three year Saeroun Bulpae. See below for a full list of runners and riders.

There are cards at Busan on Friday and Sunday with Friday’s action getting underway at 13:00 when there will be ten races. The first of six races is off at 12:40 on Sunday:

Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup – G III (Foreign) – Busan Race Park – 1800M – Sep 28, 15:40

1. Wonder Love (USA) (35/4/9/6) – Han Sang Kyu
2. Hangye Geukbok (USA) (34/12/6/5) – Jo Sung Gon
3. Angle Slam (USA) (34/7/6/8) – Moon Jung Won
4. Gamun Bobae (USA) (18/5/3/4) – Chae Gyu Jun
5. Deoksugung (USA) (29/6/2/2) – Park Sung Gwang
6. Hwanggeumbit Taeyang (AUS) (33/6/10/5) – Kazayuki Watase
7. Florida Native (USA) (19/6/3/3) – Jo Chan Hoon
8. Golding (USA) (31/15/7/3) – Toshio Uchida
9. Saeroun Bulpae (USA) (11/4/1/4) – Yang Young Nam
10. Miraculous Medal (USA) (31/4/4/2) – Yoo Hyun Myoung
11. Dangdae Star (NZ) (25/8/1/2) – Deryl Daniels
12. Gongnopae (USA) (29/6/4/3) – Kim Eu Su
13. Namdo Choegang (AUS) (31/7/3/5) – Gu Young Jun

Dong-A Ilbo Cup headlines busy weekend

Racing returns to Korea this weekend after breaking for Thanksgiving last week and it looks set to be an eventful three days. Big race of the weekend is the Dong-A Ilbo Cup which is off at 17:00 at Seoul Race Park on Sunday. The 1400 metre race is one of the biggest races of the season for fillies and mares and has attracted a field including Samsimnyeonsarang, Challanhanbit, and Gateway.

There are a number of other big name horses on show at Seoul on Saturday and Sunday when cards will get underway at 11:20 with twelve races on Saturday and eleven on Sunday. Former horse of the year, Bally Brae drops back to 1200 metres for the first time in nearly two years in Saturday’s feature. The six year old holds the course record over the distance and will be up against the likes of Gamadongja, Baekjeonmupae and Dankee’s Pal. Myeongmun Gamun has satisfied the starter that he can be trusted to behave at post and the seven year old goes in Sunday’s feature, a 2000 metre handicap.

The first action of the weekend is, as usual, on Friday at Busan Race Park. The South Gyeongnam track hosts ten races on Friday with the first going to post at 13:00. There’s a double feature with handicaps for foreign bred and domestic bred horses. In the domestic, Rainmaker is given another chance to prove his KRA Cup Mile success wasn’t a fluke, but he’s going to have it all to do against a top class field headed by Areumdaun Jilju who has won five out of six this year. Also going is Procyon, the four year old gelding looking to bounce back after two disappointing runs at shorter distances. Namdo Jijon, who finished third in the Derby will be there too as will Annika Queen. Sunday’s Busan card is lower key with six races getting underway at 12:40. One novelty on the card is race 5, a race only for Japanese bred horses.

As usual, Jeju Race Park hosts pony racing on Saturday and Sunday and Sunday sees one of the big races of the season in the shape of the KRA Jeju Cup which is off at 15:55.

Weekend Preview

Ilgan Sports headlines weekend / Shaving Points returns
The weekend’s cards get underway this afternoon at Busan Race Park with a nine race program starting at 13:00. Highlight is the last seeing a Cat.1 domestic handicap headed by Sinjin Gangja and Widaehan Bonneung.

Attention switches to Seoul on Saturday where the first of a twelve race card will be off at 11:20. Attention will be on Shaving Points, the unbeaten three year old making his first appearance since May in the Cat 2. race 11.

Sunday sees the feature race of the weekend in the shape of the Ilgan Sports Cup. The race for domestic Cat 2’s attracts a field of thirteen and is off at 17:00. Immediately after the Ilgan Sports, Subsidy will head the weights in a handicap, the eight year old son of Mr Prospector bidding for a return to form with what would be his eighteenth career win. Busan also runs a card on Sunday with the first of six off at 12:40.

Weekend Preview: Ebony Storm & Rainmaker go again

Classic winners clash at Busan / Myeongmun Gamun heads Seoul card
Korean Derby winner Ebony Storm and KRA Cup Mile winner Rainmaker will face each other once more at Busan Race Park this Sunday. Both are yet to win since their respective Classic triumphs but Ebony Storm has the better of Rainmaker in their last two meetings – the Derby and a handicap at the end of June where Ebony Storm finished second with Rainmaker nowhere. Winner that day, Yeongung Manse also goes again on Sunday. The gelding couldn’t run in the Classics and has a better win rate than either of the two big names. Busan’s six race Sunday card gets underway at 12:40.

As usual, there is racing at Seoul Race Park on both Saturday and Sunday with a start time of 11:20 both days. Feature race comes on Sunday when Myeongmun Gamun will be looking to get back in form. After refusing to go in the stalls in May, the seven year old returned in the SBS Cup, only to be comprehensively beaten by Baekpa. Nevertheless, Myeongmun Gamun remains the highest earning horse at Seoul over the past year (albeit primarily due to Busan horses taking the Classics this year, Myeongmun Gamun’s President’s Cup win last October still keeps him top). Among those up against him in race 10 on Sunday will be Dashing Champ and Baengnokjeong (third in the SBS).

Torrential rain throughout Firday means there should be plenty of water in the track. Forecast is for more showers on Saturday, but Sunday should be fine and dry. In addition to Seoul and Busan, there is also racing at Jeju on Satuday and Sunday with the first going to post at 12:20 both days.

YTN Cup tops Holiday Weekend Cards

Playing Politics heads field / Shaving Points withdrawn / Hongji & Galsaem face-off again
It’s a holiday Friday and Busan Race Park stages its usual nine race card with the first off at 13:00. Friday’s highlight is a category 1 (foreign) handicap over 2000 metres. Hangye Geukbok (33 runs/12wins) heads the field along with Bugyeong Choegang (15/7). Busan also runs a six race card on Sunday when a similar category 1 (domestic) race with a competitive field including Janggun Sinhwa (17/5) and Annika Queen (17/6). Also on Sunday, The Bee Keeper (5/4) makes his first outing since his unexpected defeat last time out.

Seoul Race Park runs its usual cards on Saturday and Sunday with the feature race of the weekend being the KRW 63Million YTN Cup. Disappointingly, Shaving Points, one of the two outstanding imports of 2008 so far, doesn’t go, but the other, Playing Politics, does and shares top weight with the interestingly spelled Noubeau Riche (8/5). The YTN Cup is race 10 on Sunday with a post time of 17:30. See below for full list of runners, riders and weights.

The YTN is a category 2 but both Saturday and Sunday also see category 1 races with Angus Empire heading the weights in Saturday’s race 11 and Hongji and Galsaem facing off again in race 9 on Sunday.

YTN Cup, Cat. 2(Foreign) – Seoul Race Park – 1900M – Aug 17, 17:30

1. Samson’s Echo (US) (15/3/3/1) – 52.5 – Park Soo Hong
2. Princess Thumb (US) (20/2/2/3) – 52 – Moon Se Young
3. Milwaukee Special (Can) (12/3/4/2) – 57 – Ham Wan Sik
4. Nice Friend (Aus) (27/1/3/4) – 52 – Ikuyasu Kurakane
5. Vicar Love (US) (7/4/1/1) – 56 – Shim Seung Tae
6. Storming Colors (US) (11/4/0/1) – 53- Kim Hyo Seob
7. Playing Politics (US) (3/3/0/0) – 57 – Choi Beom Hyun
8. Serendipper (Aus) (10/3/2/1) – 54 – Cho Kyoung Ho
9. Julgisepo (US) (25/4/1/3) – 52 – Shin Dae Jun
10. Big Guy (Aus) (16/3/2/0) – 55.5 – Kim Dong Kyun
11. Entro (NZ) (9/4/1/2) – 54.5 – Nozomu Tomizawa
12. South Darby (US) (12/4/0/1) – 52.5 – Kim Ok Sung
13. Noubeau Riche (US) (8/5/0/1) – 57 – Oh Kyoung Hoan

Oaks Weekend Preview

While the Korean Oaks, the third Classic of the season is undoubtedly the weekend’s main event (see below for a full preview of the big race) the remainder of the card at Busan is a competitive one and there are also the usual Saturday and Sunday programs at Seoul Race Park. 

Busan kicks things off with nine races on Friday, the first ay 13:00.  There’s a double main event with handicaps for both domestic and overseas bred horses. The domestic one is up first with the weights headed by Areumdaun Jilju who has been in imperious form in 2008. The four year old will be bidding to make it 9 wins from 14 outings and will be carrying a full 7.5 kilos more than his rivals.  The foreign-bred field is headed by Golding, the six year old back in winning form last time out after three consecutive seconds.  Hwanggeumbit Taeya and Angle Slam will be among those looking to prevent Golding from taking a sixteenth career win. Sunday’s six races at Busan are dominated by the Oaks which is race 5 at 15:45. 

Seoul takes a back seat this weekend but there are 12 races on Saturday and 11 on Sunday with an 11:20 start both days.  The only category 1 race is the very last on Sunday when Good Day will meet Best Condition over 2000 metres.  The Oaks will be one of the Busan races simulcasted back to Seoul. In addition to Seoul and Busan, Jeju Race Park will run its usual program on Saturday and Sunday getting underway at 12:20 both days.

Jeolho Chance heads Oaks field of fourteen

A full field of fourteen will contest the Korean Oaks which will be run Sunday at Busan Race Park. Only two Seoul based horses have made the journey to South Gyeongsang province with the capital’s hopes resting on Baram Queen and Gate Way to break Busan’s stranglehold on this year’s classics.

They will have their work cut out, however, with the likes of Jeolho Chance and Gaya Gongju having already proved themselves over the distance and against older horses. In addition to being run at Busan for the first time, this year’s Oaks has seen an almost doubling of prize money with the winner taking home KRW 228Million.

The Oaks is race 5 of a 6 race card on Sunday August 10 with a post time of 15:45. Full list of runners and riders:

Korean Oaks (G II) 1800M – Busan Race Park – Aug.10, 15:45

1. Arch Racer – (9/2/2/1) – Toshio Uchida
Won over 1200 metres last time and has been improving with every race. Uchida’s booking will ensure she has some support.
2. Gate Way – (13/3/3/0) – Lim Sung Shil
One of the two Seoul entrants, Gate Way has had a good early summer winning two from her last three and, albeit against lesser opposition.
3. Gaya Gongju – (10/4/3/1) – Kim Eu Su
One of only two in the field to have achieved category 1 status already, Gaya Gongju finished eigth in the KRA Cup Mile, winning and running second in a handicap since.
4. Jakjunmyeongnyeong – (9/2/2/1) – Chae Kyu Jun
Her two wins have come in sprints and she has struggled in all three outings greater than 1200 metres.
5. Teukgeuphaegyeolsa – (11/3/1/2) – Gu Young Jun
Finished 11th of 12 in her only category 2 outing last time but had shown steady improvement up until then.
6. Myeongpumjilju – (11/1/4/3) – Choi Si Dae
A consistent placer if not winner, led a category 2 handicap last time until being overtaken by two older colts in the final 100 metres.
7. Galsaek Geotap – (7/3/1/0) – Jo Chang Wook
Struggled in her only race at a distance over 1200 metres so far, but beat Myeongpumjilju last time the pair met when the latter started hot favourite.
8. Useung Party – (4/3/0/0) – Yoo Hyun Myoung
Won her first three races before stepping up in class and being found wanting over 1600 metres, finishing sixth.
9. Jeolho Chance (11/5/1/1) – Jo Chan Hoon
A third place finish in the KRA Cup mile caused her to start the Derby as second favourite. She finished ninth but back in Busan scored a wire to wire five length win in a category 1 handicap over 2000 metres. Finished 4th in a similar race last time and is the one to beat.
10. Sunpunge Dotdanbae – (10/3/1/2) – Kim Tae Kyung
A steady performer with 2 of her 3 wins coming against decent opposition.
11. Baram Queen – (11/2/3/2) – Nozomu Tomizawa
Seoul’s other entrant, her last run was an impressive 3rd in the Sports Seoul Cup behind two fillies who don’t make the journey down, Samsinyeonsarand and Daehyo. Nozomu Tomizawa has ridden her in every race and will take the ride in Busan too.
12. Daehan Dolpung – (13/2/4/3) – Kim Tae Jun
Landed a smart win over a tough field just two weeks ago over 1800 metres and has been very consistent in 2008.
13. Achim Noeul – (7/3/0/0) – Kim Myoung Shin
Has run once a month in 2008 and has alternated brilliance with mediocrity.
14. Bugyeong Sarang – (11/2/2/2) – Jo Seung Gon
Her two wins were over 1200 metres and she had a hard time in her last race against category 2 horses.

Weekend Preview – Munhwa Ilbo Cup

Thirteen go in Cup / Subsidy and Secret Weapon head handicap fields
Racing is back at Seoul Race Park this weekend and the highlight is the Munhwa Ilbo Cup, a category 2 test for domestic bred horses over 2000 metres with a first pize of KRW 58Million. There’s a field of thirteen colts and geldings with three year olds Sichuseon, winner of the Netizen’s Day Race, and Cheonnyeonbulpae, fourth in this year’s Derby up against older horses including second and third in the Sports Chosun Cup, Nice Champ and Mansebose. Also running is last year’s runner-up, Samdobong and Top Value, who had a promising three year old season last year. The race is off at 17:00 on Sunday. Full list of runners and riders (Stall/Name/Record/Sex/Age/Jockey):

1. Tough Energy (31/4/2/5) – C, 5 – Ji Ha Ju
2. Top Value (11/4/2/3) – C, 4 – Park Tae Jong
3. Yeongshil Jeonggi (29/3/4/2) – G, 5 – Lee Shin Young
4. Mansebose (21/5/3/1) – G, 5 – Kim Seok Bong
5. Nice Champ (15/4/3/4) – C, 4 – Kim Hyo Seob
6. Cheonnyeonbulpae (8/2/4/0) – C, 3 – Cho Kyoung Ho
7. Borkhan (34/2/4/7) – C, 5 – Shin Hyoung Cheol
8. Proud Boy (30/4/3/3) – C, 6 – Kim Dong Cheol
9. Wonju Jangsa (16/2/3/2) – G, 5 – Choi Beom Hyun
10. Eoullimnyeongung (18/4/4/0) – G, 4 – Park Soo Hong
11. Sichuseon (10/3/0/2) – G, 3 – Oh Kyoung Hoan
12. Samdobong (16/4/4/3) – C, 5 – Jung Ki Young
13. New Rider (28/4/2/2) – C, 5 – Ikuyasu Kurakane

Sunday also sees a category 1 foreign bred handicap with 2005 Horse of the Year Subsidy looking to bounce back from disappointment in the Owner’s Association Trophy. The eight year old will be top weight, carrying 60kg ahead of Haengun Daewang. Unusually Subsidy won’t be the oldest horse in the race as nine year olds Daiwa Arazi and Value Play also go.

Saturday’s card is headed by Secret Weapon (25runs/13wins) taking on seven challengers over 2000 metres in race 11. Racing on both Saturday and Sunday gets underway at 11:20 with twelve races on Saturday and eleven on Sunday. Jeju also holds a card both days while Busan will follow up its Friday card with a six race card on Sunday beginning at 12:40.

Busan Preview

After last weekend off, racing returns to the peninsula on Friday when the usual nine race-card at Busan Race Park gets underway at 13:00. Feature race is the last, a category 1 handicap with Widaehan Bonneung topping the weights. Earlier there is a useful category 2 race involving some of the more exciting three year old foreign bred horses such as King Kephalos who has three wins and a second from his six outings so far. Also lining up will be Sarounbulpae, who has placed in all but two of her nine races, as has the American bred Namsanui Jeonggi.

Sunday will see a six race card at Busan beginning at 12:40 with no category 1 races. Focus on Sunday, however, will be more on Seoul Race Park and the Munhwa Ilbo Cup of which we will have a full preview tomorrow.

Weekend preview – No Racing!

Racing takes a break this weekend to mark midsummer – although it’s not shaping up to be anything like the hottest weekend of the year with heavy rain and thunder predicted.  However, with no evening racing this year, the KRA has opted to take a one week summer break. That means there will be nothing to report on this weekend so instead we’ll be having a lookat some upcoming races, including the Korean Oaks, scheduled for August 10 at Busan Race Park.