Racing Reviews

Sting Ray Saunters to Victory in KRA Cup Mile

Sting Ray, the odds-on favourite, swept to a convincing victory in the KRA Cup Mile at Busan Race Park this afternoon.

Sting Ray and Kim Dong Young win the KRA Cup Mile

Sting Ray and Kim Dong Young win the KRA Cup Mile

The race, known informally as the Korean 2000 Guineas, was the first leg of the 2013 Korean Triple Crown.

Sting Ray (Forest Camp), who came into the race off the back of 2 consecutive impressive wins was always travelling well under Kim Dong Young as Harley (Menifee) set the early pace. As they entered the home straight and spread across the track, Sting Ray hit the front and never looked like being caught as he stretched away for a 4-length win.

Raon Boss (Pico Central) showed that his last outing, where he finished 13 of 14 was an aberration by finishing a strong second, giving British jockey Darryll Holland a great result in his first Korean Classic race.

The Peter Wolsley trained Fantastic Jazz (Menifee) was a close 3rd. Wolsley’s other-runner, the slightly better fancied Amell’s Atom (Menifee) finished 4th.

Sting Ray is a half-brother of 2012 Korean Oaks winner Rising Glory, through their dam Straight Cash. Straight Cash herself was a top class filly who ran in Korea and won the 2005 JRA Trophy race. With 2 Classic winners, she has already established herself as among the top broodmares too.

The result was another disappointment for Seoul based trainers as Busan-trained horses dominated the placings. Rapide Bullet (Revere), back in 5th, was the best placed finisher from the capital. It’s difficult to see how this is going to be reversed when the country’s top three-year olds reconvene in Seoul on May 19th for the Korean Derby.

Sting Ray has already won at 1900 metres – further than the Derby distance and looks like he’s only going to get better.

KRA Cup Mile (KOR GII) – Busan Race Park – 1600M – April 7, 2013

1. Sting Ray (KOR) [Forest Camp – Straight Cash (Straight Man)] – Kim Dong Young
2. Raon Boss (KOR) [Pico Central – Ivy’s Jewel Stone (Forestry)] – Darryll Holland
3. Fantastic Jazz (KOR) [Menifee – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] – Park Geum Man

Distances: 4 lengths/1.75 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Amell’s Atom 5. Rapide Bullet 6. Rising joy 7. like The Sun 8. Last Mudae 9. Yapung 10. Heungnyeong Bisang 11. Cheonneyon Dongan 12. Global Gangja 13. Harley 14. Ruby Canter.
Scratched: Pureun Energy, Energy Cell

Race video to follow.

Weekend Round-Up: The New Troika?

Tough Win, Gamdonguibada and Feel So Good All Win

Racing might be traditionally a very conservative sport off the track, but change can come very quickly on it. A year ago, what the racing media here dubbed the “troika”; Grand Prix Champion Tough Win and the 2 horses that finished closest to him in that December 2011 showdown, Mister Park and Smarty Moonhak were set to dominate racing on the peninsula for the forseeable future.

Joe Fujii and Gamdonguibada win the Grand Prix Stakes (KRA)

Joe Fujii and Gamdonguibada win the Grand Prix Stakes (KRA)

However, within a matter of months, 3 had become 1 as first, tragically, Mister Park (Ecton Park) suffered a fatal injury in a race and then, less sad but still devastating racing-wise, Smarty Moonhak (Smarty Jones) was diagnosed with tendinitis and hasn’t raced since.

Only Tough Win (Yonaguska) remains and now, there are signs that he could be part of a new “troika” forming. All were in action this past weekend.

Gamdonguibada (Werblin) a 4-year old American bred filly took Tough Win’s Grand Prix crown off him at the end of last season. She started this year in good form and continued it at Busan last Friday, winning the 1900 metre feature handicap in convincing fashion from Prince Kingdom (Roar Of The Tiger) and Viva Ace (Macho Uno). It was her 4th straight victory and her 8th in total from 12 career starts.

Feel So Good: 3 from 3

Feel So Good: 3 from 3

One horse yet to taste defeat yet – at least not in Korea – is Feel So Good (Ft.Stockton).

The 4-year old spent a year training in the United States and won a race at Calder last autumn. He made his 3rd Korean appearance at Seoul on Sunday afternoon and, despite moving up in class again, scored his 3rd very easy victory by 9 full lengths.

Feel So Good is now just 2 races away from qualifying for the elite level where he should finally come up against horses capable of testing him.

Tough Win

Tough Win

Gamdonguibada is one of those who could test him although being based at different tracks, their opportunities to meet will be limited. One he will likely face sooner is Tough Win. While Feel So Good is a Korean bred and therefore can avoid running against foreign bred horses, the temptation to put him in against the best will be hard to resist.

And Tough Win showed that at Seoul at least, he still he is the best in Sunday’s feature race at Seoul with a routine victory over a class 1 field.

The prospect of Tough Win, Gamdonguibada and Feel So Good racing each other, joined perhaps by the likes of last year’s Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan is what makes racing so fascinating. Hopefully all will stay sound.

Next Sunday, the process of finding this year’s 3-year old champion begins with the KRA Cup Mile – the Korean 2000 Guineas – the first leg of the 2013 Triple Crown, at Busan. We begin our build-up to the big race this Wednesday.

Derby Winners Ebony Storm and Jigeum I Sungan Triumph Again

The 2013 Korean Triple Crown is about to begin but today punters were treated to stirring performances from two heroes of Classics gone by as Derby winners Ebony Storm and Jiguem I Sungan took out the feature races at Busan and Seoul.

Ebony Storm wins the 2008 Derby in a downpour (KRA)

Ebony Storm wins the 2008 Derby in a downpour (KRA)

Back on an appropriately stormy day in Seoul in May 2008, Ebony Storm (Buster’s Daydream) pulled off a shock win in the Korean Derby when starting as the longest shot on the board.

He did nothing in the remaining leg of the Triple Crown and, at 4-years-old, found himself gelded. He then embarked on a Class 1 handicap campaign that has continued to this day, regularly finishing in the money and occasionally winning.

Today, on his 50th career start, Ebony Storm was sent off as a 33/1 outsider for Busan’s 7-furlong feature race. Steadily making-up ground the entire race, the 8-year old passed favourite All Su (Perfect Vision II) in the final furlong to record his 11th victory by just over a length.

Up at Seoul, we had to wait until the very final race of the weekend to see Jiegum I Sungan (Ingrandire), winner of the 2012 Derby, do his thing. The 4-year-old still looks to have his best days ahead of him and he was in good form as he casually dismissed his rivals by 6 lengths over 9 and a half furlongs.

Jigeum I Sungan was the 2012 Korean Deby winner (KRA

Jigeum I Sungan was the 2012 Korean Deby winner (KRA)

The President’s Cup – and possible Grand Prix Stakes – will be Jigeum I Sungan’s target this year as he seeks to supplant Dangdae Bulpae as Korea’s top domestic-bred horse. Ebony Storm won’t be in either of those races, however, not many horses in Korea have won class 1 races in 5 consecutive years. If Jigeum I Sungan can emulate that one day, he will be a truly special horse.

Also impressing at Busan today was US 3-year old Yeonggwanguijehyun (Rockport Harbor). The colt cruised to an 8 length win over fellow highly rated import Bathsheba Park (Harlington) in the 9-furlong race 5. The win – his 6th from 9 starts – qualifies him for class 1 racing next time out.

Untouchable! Useung Touch Romps To Ttukseom Cup Triumph

Useung Touch struck the first blow in the race to become Champion filly & mare of 2013 by cruising to a remarkable 7-length victory in the Ttukseom Cup, the first leg of the 2013 Queens’ Tour, at Seoul Race Park Sunday.

Hold On! Connections and jockey Choi Si Dae struggle to hold Useung Touch in the Ttukseom Cup winner's circle

Hold On! Connections and jockey Choi Si Dae struggle to hold Useung Tocuh in the Ttukseom Cup winner’s circle

Now 5-years-old, the 2011 Korean Oaks winner Useung Touch (Menifee)announced her return to form with shock 2nd place finish to Gamdounguibada in the Grand Prix Stakes in December. Today, re-united with jockey Choi Si Dae for the first time since she was a 3-year-old and dropping down to 7 furlongs, she was sent off as second-favourite behind Segye Ilbo Cup winner Indian Blue.

Always travelling well, Useung Touch hit the front with just over a furlong to run and powered away from the field, still stretching her lead on the line. Fellow Korean bred filly Grand Teukgeup (Menifee), 3rd in last year’s Oaks was closest to her in 2nd, while Indian Blue’s effort was too little and far too late as she finished in 3rd.

Useung Touch now has 7 wins from her 21 starts with 7 2nd place finishes and prize money of over 1 Billion Korean Won. A star of the 2011 Triple Crown trail, in addition to winning the Oaks, she was 2nd in the Derby and Minister’s Cup. While she only recorded one win in 2012, she’s now firmly established back among the Korean racing elite.

It’s another triumph for Korea’s top stallion Menifee. In siring the 1st and 2nd home, he extends his lead at the top of the Leading Sire race with more than double the prize money of his closest rival.

Ttukseom Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – March 17, 2013

1. Useung Touch (KOR) [Menifee – Jenny Tudor (Gulch)] – Choi Si Dae – 3.2, 1.4
2. Grand Teukgeup (KOR) [Menifee-Saratoga Campaign (Mt. Livermore)] – Chae Gyu Jun – 3.6
3. Indian Blue (USA) [Henny Hughes – Gamblers Passion (Prospector’s Gamble)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 1.5

Distances: 7 lengths / 0.75 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Sangnyu (USA) 5. Empire World (USA) 6. Darani (USA) 7. Seungniuihamseong (KOR) 8. Dongteuja (KOR) 9. Dangdae Jeonseung (CAN) 10. Imperial Girl (USA) 11. Kkakjaengi (USA) 12. Sangseung Geotap (USA) 13. Ruby Queen (KOR) 14. Royale Embrace (USA) 15. Chowonuibyeol (USA) 16. Blueband Mama (USA)

* There is Listed race action at Seoul next weekend. 2012 Korean Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan (Ingrandire) heads the entrants for the Sports Donga Cup.

Dangdae Bulpae Does It Again

Tenth Stakes Win For Busan Star / Gamdonguibabda Makes Successful Return / Feel So Good Wins At Seoul

Dangdae Bulpae keeps on making history. Recording an unprecedented 10th Stakes win under an unprecendented weight for a Stakes winner and taking his earned prize money to an unprecendented 2.9 Billion won, the 6-year-old cruised to victory in the Busan Ilbo Cup this afternoon.

Pre-race, the weight was an issue. The three-time President’s Cup winner had never been successful when carrying more than 59kg but, as soon as the gates opened, any doubts disappeared.

Jo Sung Gon took Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) straight to the front and there they stayed. A passenger for most of the race, Jo needed to work a little to keep his mount going straight in the final two furlongs but there was never any question of him not winning.

At the line, the margin of victory was 3 lengths, with Dongseo Jeongbeol and Gyeongbudaero, Classic winners both, filling the placings.

Because of the weights he needs to carry in handicaps, we;ll likely only see Dangdae Bulpae a couple more times before this summer target; successfulyy defending the Busan Metropolitan City Stakes. After that, it may be that an attempt on a 4th straight President’s Cup is on the cards. It would take a brave punter to take him on.

One of very few horses who does have a recent victory over Dangdae Bulpae to her name is Gamdounguibada. And the 2012 Grand Prix Stakes winner was back for her season debut in the finale at Busan.

And it proved to be the easiest winner Joe Fujii will ever ride as
Gamdonguibada (Werblin) recorded a 5 length victory over the always game Viva Ace (Macho Uno). The Champion filly & mare and Champion foreign horse of 2012 is going to be one of the horses to watch in 2013 too.

Perhaps the most exciting – and certainly the most intriguing – horse in Korean racing was on show up at Seoul this afternoon. Feel So Good (Ft.Stockton) was bred in Korea but spent his early years in the US and won a race at Calder Racecourse last year. He returned home last autumn and was an easy winner on his Korean debut.

Feel So Good returns a winner

Feel So Good returns a winner

It was equally easy today as Feel So Good romped to a 6 length win over 1700 metres without seeming to get out of second gear. This year is going to be an interesting one.

Busan Ilbo Cup – Busan Race Park – 1600M – February 24, 2013

1. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] – Jo Sung Gon – 1.7, 1.1
2. Dongseo Jeongbeol (KOR) [Vicar – Rendezvous Bay (Wonderloaf)] – Joe Fujii – 1.3
3. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) [Menifee p Princess Lanique (Cherokee Run)] – Choi Si Dae – 1.6

Distances: 3 lengths/Neck
Also Ran: 4. Alpha Myeongjang 5. Road To Prince 6. Born To Win 7. Yeonseung Daero 8. Powerful Korea 9. Geumsangeo

Jigeum I Sungan Stretches Out And Takes It Easy

Jigeum I Sungan strode to another impressive win as he claimed the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Jigeum I Sungan and Seo Seung Un return after their easy victory

Jigeum I Sungan and Seo Seung Un return after their easy victory

The 2012 Korean Derby winner got better with every run last year and always looked as though he would excel over longer distances.

Today did nothing to change that as, having sat comfortably in the middle of the pack for most of the 2000 metre race, jockey Seo Seung Un took Jigeum I Sungan (Ingrandire) to the front with a furlong to run and accelerated away for a 7 length win.

It was his 8th win from his 17 career starts and perhaps the easiest to date. New Year’s Stakes winner Global Fusion and the very capable Geuma Champ were beaten out of sight. Indeed, he looked as though he could have gone round again.

Relieving Dangdae Bulpae of the President’s Cup crown that he has held for the last 3 years is the ultimate aim for Jigeum I Sungan this year. Korea’s richest race is not until October though. In the meantime, Dangdae Bulpae himself makes his 2013 debut in the Busan Ilbo Stakes down on the south-coast tomorrow afternoon.

Sunday February 24

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:05 including the Busan Ilbo Stakes at 16:15.

Seoul Bids Farewell To Moody Dongbanui Gangja While Indian Blue Romps To Segye Ilbo Victory

Dongbanui Gangja Retirement Ceremony / Segye Ilbo Stakes / Treble For Fujii At Busan

Dongbanui Gangja was in typically combative mood as he passed into Korean racing history with a retirement ceremony at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Dongbanui Gangja was in mischievous mood at Seoul Race Park

Dongbanui Gangja was in mischeivous mood at Seoul Race Park

The 8-year-old looked as though he’d rather be anywhere else than the Seoul Race Park winner’s circle that he graced so many times over the years after big race wins.

Although eventually coaxed into posing for photographs for the hundreds of well-wishers who crowded around, he made clear his displeasure by bucking and kicking his way through a canter down the home-straight accompanied by a track pony.

For jockey Choi Bum Hyun it must have been a reminder of the grief and the brilliance he got from Dongbanui Gangja as the pair won back-to-back Grand Prix Stakes and an Owners’ Cup among 20 career victories. Yet when he lost, he tended to do it in style with some monumental displays of petulance over the years costing him victories.

He will be greatly missed. Dongbanui Gangja [Broken Vow – Maremaid (Storm Bird)], who was bought for $20,000 at OBS in 2007 retired with career earnings of $1.3 Million. He will go to stud at a private farm on Jeju Island.

On the track, Indian Blue produced an impressive come-from-behind run to sweep to a convincing victory in the Segye Ilbo Cup.

Indian Blue and Yoo Seung Wan, both in the Stakes winner's circle for the first time

Indian Blue and Yoo Seung Wan, both in the Stakes winner’s ciircle for the first time

The 7 furlong race, one of few big races specifically for foreign-bred fillies and mares, saw 3-year-old Indian Blue (Henny Hughes) make up 11 places in the penultimate furlong before stretching away to win by 8 lengths from Dashing Platinum (Macho Uno) and Pureun Miso (Malibu Moon).

Indian Blue, a $26,000 purchase from Fasig Tipton last May, now has 3 wins from 6 starts and has never finished worse than 3rd.

Segye Ilbo Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – February 17, 2013

1. Indian Blue (USA) [Henny Hughes – Gamblers Passion (Prospectors Gamble)] – Yoo Seung Wan – 2.2, 1.2
2. Dashing Platinum (USA) [Macho Uno – Forbidden Kiss (Tocuh Gold)] – Lee Hyeok – 3.0
3. Pureun Miso (USA) [Malibu Moon – Marina De Chavon (Exploit)] – Jun Duck Yong – 2.0

Distances: 8 lengths / 0.5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. January Queen (KOR) 5. Seocheonha (NZ) 6. Daehwahap (USA) 7. Big Power (USA) 8. Raonjena (USA) 9. A Wanted Affair (USA) 10. Yaho Dolphins (USA) 11. Golden Socks (USA) 12. Winner Trophy (USA) 13. Silent Dashing (USA) NR: Happy Dancer (USA)

* At Busan it was a great day for Joe Fujii. Since finishing 2012 on a high with his Grand Prix Stakes win on Gamdonguibada, the Japanese jockey has had a quiet start to 2013 with suspension ruling him out of the first few meetings.

It all came right today, however, as Fujii notched up a treble, all for trainer Kim Young Kwan. First up was filly Raon Bally (Pico Central) in race 3, quickly followed by Raon Boss (Pico Central) for the same owner in race 4. His final triumph came in race 6 on Myeongun Jewang (Forest Camp).

Narazaki Kosuke was also among the winners today meaning 4 out of the 6 races on the card at Busan were won by Japanese riders.

Next week sees the first Stakes action of the year at Busan in the shape of the Busan Ilbo Cup. Dangdae Bulpae and Gyeongbudaero are set to be among a very strong field.

Wolsley’s Star Khaosan Marks 50th Start With Win At Busan

Peter Wolsley started training at Busan just before Christmas in 2007, becoming the first westerner to take up a license in Korea. When he first arrived, he wasn’t given much to train, getting the ones no-one else wanted. In early 2008, a 3-year-old colt arrived in his barn.

Aussie trainer Peter Wolsley with Khaosan

Aussie trainer Peter Wolsley with Khaosan

Initially, this one wasn’t exactly the second coming of Phar Lap. He “ran” 5 furlongs in 70 seconds in his first official race-trial and therefore failed to qualify. The colt was given another chance the following month and this time he came through. Since then Khaosan [Sunday Well – Mogaung (Jade Hunter)] hasn’t looked back.

Today at Busan, Khaosan, now 8-years old (and gelded) made his 50th start for Wolsley and the tough, battling horse held off a class 1 field to record the 9th win of his career.

Those 9 wins don’t tell the whole story though. Khaosan has also finished 2nd 11 times and 3rd on 8 occasions becoming a punters’ favourite for their quinella slips in the process.

He has a Stakes victory – trainer Wolsley’s only one to date – to his name, winning the 2011 Owners’ Cup after Cheonnyeon Daero was disqualified. He backed up that performance a month later by travelling to Seoul and finishing 4th in the President’s Cup, Korea’s richest race. Indeed, he has only finished outside the money 7 times, winning nearly $1Million in total prize money.

Khaosan has also been a great friend to visiting foreign jockeys. Danny Craven, Deryl Daniels, Martin Wepner, Kunihisa Hirase, the late Yoshi Aoki, Nathan Stanley, Gerrit Schlechter and Joe Fujii have all ridden him to prize-money finishes over the years.

Always likely to find at least one or two faster than him in the very biggest races, there will be fewer who are gamer or more consistent or sound. Indeed, his only significant time away from the track were the 5 months in 2009 during which he had the operation that means there will be no Khaosan Juniors once his racing days are done.

Both Peter Wolsley, now with 167 training wins, and Khaosan, have come a very long way since that disappointing early morning race trial in May 2008. Hopefully there is still plenty more to look forward to from them

Khaosan’s 9th win:

Ace Galloper Win Makes 1800 Up For Park Tae Jong

A return to the winner’s circle for one of Korea’s most prolific horses meant another milestone in the career of the nation’s most prolific ever jockey as Park Tae Jong partnered Ace Galloper to victory at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon.

Ace Galloper and Park Tae JOng winning the KRA Cup Classic in 2011 - they partnered on Sunday for the jockey's 1800th career win

Ace Galloper and Park Tae Jong winning the KRA Cup Classic in 2011 – they partnered on Sunday for the jockey’s 1800th career win

Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal) had been without a win since June of last year but had been coming back into form over the winter. The six-year old duly took advantage of a relatively weak class 1 field to cruise to a 7 length triumph and remind those present while he is still rated the top Korean-born competitor at the track. He now has 18 wins from 31 career starts.

The race marked the 4th win of the weekend for jockey Park Tae Jong and more significantly, the 1800th triumph of his long career. So dominant has Park been for so long that he has ridden over 1000 more winners than any other Korean jockey in history.

The 47-year-old debuted in 1987 at the old Ttukseom Racecourse. By any standard, 1800 is a considerable number of wins but his achievement becomes all the more remarkable given the fact that for the first 18 years of his career, he was – as per the rules at the time – restricted to just 5 rides each week.

Ace Galloper wasn’t the only horse getting back to winning ways after a long time drawing a blank. Lion Santa (Lion Heart) won his first 9 races at Busan in 2010 and 2011 but had only managed to add a single additional victory to that tally in an injury ravaged 14 months since. Yesterday, in the first of co-feature races, he was back to his old self.

Although only sent off as 4th favourite, Lion Santa stormed up the rail in the final furlong to comprehensively defeat a competitive class 1 field with Yeonseung Daero (Creek Cat) and up and coming star Wild Myeongun (D’Wildcat) a full 4 lengths behind. Lion Santa is now on 10 wins from 14 starts and goes straight back into consideration for big Stakes races later in the year.

Jigeum I Sungan Starts 2013 With Easy Win

Korean Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan (Ingrandire) was a comfortable three-length winner on his season debut at Seoul Race Park on Saturday.

Winning Start to 2013: Jigeum I Sungan

Winning Start to 2013: Jigeum I Sungan

The colt, who won two legs of the Korean Triple Crown in 2012, was sent off at slight odds-on for the 1900 metre feature Handicap.

With regular rider Moon Se Young currently in Macau, the four-year old was partnered by young up-and-comer Seo Seung Un for the first time and it didn’t take the pair long to gel.

Kept in the middle of the pack for much of the race, Jigeum I Sungan still had five horses in front of him as they entered the final furlong. One after another they were picked off as he eased to the front and ultimately won going away from the field. Magnifique (Menifee) was second with Singgereounachim (Exploit) in third.

Despite his double Classic triumph and subsequent Horse of the Year award, today’s win was only Jigeum I Sungan’s 7th from 16 starts. However, throughout last year he got better with every run and the feeling is that the best is still very much to come from him.

On his last start, Jigeum I Sungan was well beaten into 2nd as Dangdae Bulpae strolled to his third consecutive President’s Cup. November is a long way away but stopping Dangdae Bulpae securing a historic fourth win in Korea’s richest race is surely the season goal for Jigeum I Sungan. The preparation has begun well.

Sunday January 20

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:00