Bally Brae was finishing the fastest but Dankee’s Pal just managed to hold off the seven year old to claim victory by the narrowest of margins in the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.
When these two met last month, the result was reversed and agin Dankee’s Pal hit the front early while Moon Se Young kept Bally Brae in the middle of the ten strong field. This time, however, although Bally Brae, carrying six kilos more than his rival, began relentlessly closing the gap in the straight, Dankee’s Pal, under Cho Kyoung Ho, just did enough to hang on. Seongpacheonha was a well beaten third.
One race earlier, Santos Chavez got his final weekend’s riding underway with a win, taking race 9 on outsider Gamunhuye. In other races, there were wins for Lhotse Shar and Saegisang.
Class 1 (Foreign bred) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – May 30, 2009
1. Dankee’s Pal (USA) [Max’s Pal – Dankee (Regal Intention)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 2.7 2. Bally Brae (USA) [Yarrow Brae – Political Bluff (Unaccounted For)] – Moon Se Young – 1.6 3. Seongpacheonha (AUS) [Agnes World – House Of Chimes (Bellotto)] – Park Tae Jong – 21.9
Distances: Nose/8 lengths – 10 ran
Beomtti and Sandeomi also win
Wangson came through late to land a convincing win in the Sports Chosun Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The four year old ran at the back of the pack for most of the 1800 metre race before coming through with a stong run in the home straight to have victory secured with half a furlong still to run.
The Sports Chosun Cup is traditionally an opportunity for those four year olds who were either not quite ready for the previous year’s major three year old races or who competed but hadn’t yet reached their peak, to kick on to the top level of Korean racing.
Seven Card led for much of the race and hung on for second place to make it a one-two finish for his and Wangson’s sire, Distilled. Pre-race favourite Happy Queen finishing strongly in third. For Wangson, it is a fifth win in eleven outings and his next race will be in category 1 company.
In other races at Seoul, three year old filly Beomtti threw her name back into contention for big race honours with a surprise win in race 7 beating out two other highly rated fillies in the process. Sangsangbong and My Symphony were more fancied, but it was Beomtti, under Yoo Seung Wan, who came through to snatch the lead and the victory with less than 20 metres remaining. Beomtti is now on three wins from five runs and the three year old filly picture in Seoul is looking increasingly interesting. Whether one can kick on and make a serious challenge for the Oaks in Busan in August is another matter.
In Seoul’s second most valuable race, Blue Pin took his third straight victory. The colt, whose form arrived too late for entry into the Derby picture was a comfortable four length winner.
Meanwhile, another colt who skipped the Derby was in action at Busan Race Park this afternoon. Sandeomi was the only one of the top six finishers in the KRA Cup Mile not to journey to Seoul for the Derby. Today he ran out a comfortable winner over a mile in race 5. Busan’s feature race went the way of Gangsan Jijo. The six year olf New Zealand bred gelding beat out Power Captain and Admiral Reigart in a tight photo finish.
Sports Chosun Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – May 24, 2009
1. Wangson (KOR) [Distilled – Eastern Tide (Far Out East)] – Kim Young Jin – 4.9 2. Seven Card (KOR) [Distilled – Youcancallmebetty (Buckaroo)] – Kim Ok Sung – 4.4 3. Happy Queen (KOR) [Revere – C. Bop (Aly Dark)] – Cho Kyoung Ho 3.4
Distances: 2 lengths/0.5 lengths – 12 ran
Filly on course for Triple Crown after destroying Derby field
There were doubts about Sangseung Ilro. Yes, she had won the KRA Cup Mile pulling away, but the Cup Mile is not the Derby and Seoul’s best had stayed home that day in April. There are no doubters now.
Seoul’s best didn’t stay home today and they were found wanting as Sangseung Ilro destroyed the best colts Korea has to offer to win the Derby at Seoul Race Park this afternoon and in doing so, take herself to within one race of completing the Triple Crown.
As expected, it was Nice Choice who was sent off favourite, with Sangseung Ilro fourth in the betting, behind Seokcheong and Yeonseung Daero. As the field broke, it was Namdo Jeap who grabbed the early lead under Shin Hyoung Cheol, standing in for Martin Wepner who lost the ride reportedly for failing to weigh-in on time.
Namdo Jeap, second in the Cup Mile last month, continued to lead through the back-straight with Yeonseung Daero, Seokcheong and Khanui Jeguk following close behind. Jo Sung Gon meanwhile was keeping Sangseung Ilro tucked in at the back of the field. Jo began to make his move as they rounded the home turn coming level with Nice Choice in the middle of the field as they exited the turn and entered the home straight.
When the filly started to sprint, however, there were no equals. As in the Cup Mile, Namdo Jeap battled valiantly but once caught, was never going to be able to fight back. Sangseung Ilro ran on to win by five lengths on the line, Jo Sung Gon comfortable in victory with half a furlong still to go. Namdo Jeap completed the same 1-2 as in the Cup Mile while Baengnyeonbong salvaged a tiny amount of pride for Seoul, finishing third. Rank outsider Pangpang, the only other filly in the field, ran a creditable fourth. Yeonseung Daero came in fifth.
Favourite Nice Choice never got involved and crossed the line in sixth, while second favourite Seokcheong disappeared in the home straight and came home ninth. It was another miserable classic for Seoul trained horses. With Busan raiders taking four of the five money finishes, the pressure is going to be on the beleaguered Seoul backstretch to take a long hard look at itself and figure out what it is doing wrong.
Sangseung Ilro is the fifth filly to win the Derby and she is now on course to become the first to land the Triple Crown. She will have to wait a long time to do it, however, as the final leg isn’t until the Minister’s Cup, back at Seoul in October. Before that, however, she will have the opportunity to add the Korean Oaks to her collection at Busan in August.
Overnight, the fear had been that the rain which had fallen throughout yesterday’s card would continue into today and that by post time, the track would be a quagmire. Instead, it was dry from early morning and a strong wind around lunchtime dried the track out considerably and by the time the Derby got underway, the sun had been shining for quite some time. The poor forecast, however, meant that a slightly smaller crowd than hoped for enjoyed the now traditional free entry to the track on Derby day.
Korean Derby (G.I) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – May 17, 2009
One race before the Derby, the final International Exchange race of the weekend took place. The unbeaten Gangho was sent off the odds-on favourite but it was third favourite Free Hugs who emerged from the pack to land the victory from Saerounachim and Afternoon Dove – Gangho a disappointing fourth:
JRA Trophy – Seoul Race Park – 1200M – May 17, 2009
1. Free Hugs (AUS) [Fantastic Light – Woodie (Woodman)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 5.6 2. Saerounachim (NZ) [Pyrus – Jouet (Langfuhr)] – Kim Dong Cheol – 57.5 3. Afternoon Dove (USA) [Afternoon Deelites – Flying Dove (Dove Hunt)] – Jung Ki Young – 35.1
Distances: 2.5 lengths/Neck – 14 ran
* He may have been jocked off Sangseung Ilro for the Derby, but Eiki Nishimura responded in the best possible way, doubling the two most valuable races on offer at Busan Race Park this afternoon. The Japanese rider landed race 5 on Hangang Jeil and race 6 on Jewang.
Korean Derby / JRA Trophy
The twelth Korean Derby goes to post at 17:00 on Sunday afternoon. With 24 hours of persistent rain already having fallen and no signs of it stopping any time soon, track conditions are sure to be similar to last year when 90/1 outsider Ebony Storm pulled off a shock win.
Eight Seoul horses and six Busan horses will line up. Amongst them are two fillies, one of whom, Sangseung Ilro is, for now at least, on course to land the Triple Crown, having won the KRA Cup Mile at Busan in April. The one sour note that hovers above this Derby is that Eiki Nishimura, the jockey who guided her to that victory, will not be with her amid suspicions that the idea of an overseas rider landing a Triple Crown is too much to take for some on the backstretches of Seoul and Busan.
Nice Choice is the likely favourite but it is an open race, especially with the rain. Sangseung Ilro has obviously staked her claim, but cases can be made for a host of others, including Yeonseung Daero, Baengnyeonbong, Sky Star and Seokcheong. In jockey Martin Wepner and trainer Peter Wolsley, Namdo Jeap and Impeccable respectively offer an overseas angle even in Eiki’s absence.
Whatever the result and regardless of the weather, hopefully the Derby can provide a race that does justice to our wonderful sport’s biggest day.
Click here to download past performance information (Korean). Full list of post positions, runners, records and riders:
Korean Derby (GI) – Seoul Race Park – May 17 2009 – 1800M, 17:00
1. Sky Star [B] [Tahamkke – Blue Lark (Ravenwood)] – (10/5/1/0) – Kim Tae Kyoung 2. Khanui Huye [The Groom Is Red – Noble Michelle (Flow Technology)] – (7/2/2/0) – Han Sung Yeol 3. Nice Choice [Lost Mountain – Betty’s Rhapsody (Don’t Hesitate)] – (6/4/2/0) – Moon Se Young 4. Seokcheong [Fiercely – Miss Geology (Jade Hunter)] – (6/4/1/1) – Park Tae Jong 5. Namdo Jeap [B] [Ft. Stockton – Wandering Katie (Tejano)] – (6/3/2/1) – Martin Wepner 6. Khanui Jeguk [Sunday Well – Lucky Dip (Didyme)] – (7/3/1/1) – Lee Jung Sun 7. Yeonseung Daero [B] [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] – (8/5/1/2) – Kim Eu Su 8. Baengnyeonbong [Al Naba – Sansovino Art (Mister C.)] – (9/4/1/1) – Kim Ok Sung 9. Pangpang [B] [Revere – Awishnotalark (Rio’s Lark)] – (11/3/0/1) – Kim Hong Il 10. Impeccable [B] [Distilled – Bellebreezy (Foolish Pleasure)] – (6/4/0/0) – Park Geum Man 11. Sangseung Ilro [B] (F) [Concept Win – Miss Whiskey (Whiskey Wisdom)] – (6/4/1/1) – Jo Sung Gon 12. Triple Canon [Tahamkke – Tamna Jeilbong (Lost Mountain)] – (7/4/2/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho 13. Money Teukgeup[Ft. Stockton – Headwork (Silveyville)] – (8/2/3/1) – Choi Beom Hyun 14. Red Ball [Lethal Instrument – Wildly Magic (Pieterhof)] – (8/4/0/1) – Yang Hee Jin
Just before the Derby, the final International Trophy race of the weekend will take place and it’s the big one as the undefeated Gangho faces his first real test in the JRA Trophy. While he will likely be the overwhelming favourite, if he has a bad day, there are one or two who could cause him problems. Bulpae Gisang has four wins from six outings and Free Hugs is a proven performer at this level.
There are eleven races at Seoul on Sunday with the first under orders at 11:20. Busan Race Park hosts six races with the first at 12:40. Jeju Race Park gets underway at 12:10.
Super Jet, Keungori, Giant Rose land Trophy races
In atrocious conditions at Seoul Race Park, the favourites went down in all three of the International Trophy races this afternoon. It had been raining for twelve hours before the horses went to post for the first race and continued throughout racing creating a saturated track and appalling visibility for the jockeys.
While all three Trophy races were of equal value, most eyes were on the HRI Trophy where Symphony Sonata was sent off favourite off the back of four wins in six starts. Brought to the front early by Park Tae Jong, the four year old seemed well placed coming off the last turn but when asked to sprint, had nothing to offer. Instead, it was second favourite Super Jet, under Kim Young Jin who edged out Natural Guy and Choi Beom Hyun on the line after the two duelled in the final furlong.
One race earlier, Bandoui Kkum was favourite going into the AJC Trophy race, but she never got going as Moon Se Young on Giant Rose scored a clear four length victory over Choi Won Jun on Yeonjikkot with Princess Ruby in third. Meanwhile, the STC Trophy went the way of three year old filly Keungori with favourite Soseono well down the field.
STC Trophy – Seoul Race Park – 16 May, 2009 – 1300M
1. Keungori (USA) [Essence of Dubai – Goldmakesmesmile (Mining) – Kim Ok Sung – 10.5 2. Kkumchaja (USA) [Orientate – Westerville (Gone West)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 5.3 3. Storm For Lucky (JPN) [Mejiro Ryan – Dark Moon (Real Shadai)] – Yoon Tae Hyuk – 68.3
Distances: 0.75 lengths/7 lengths – 13 ran
AJC Trophy – Seoul Race Park – 16 May, 2009 – 1400M
1. Giant Rose [Pacific Bounty – Kiss My Goldie (Candi’s Gold)] – Moon Se Young – 5.0 2. Yeonjikkot [Al Naba – Sez Babble (Psychobabble)] – Choi Won Jun – 24.1 3. Forest River [Texas Glitter – Whosis (Trempolino)] – Park Tae Jong – 8.2
Distances: 4 lengths/2.5 lengths – 14 ran
HRI Trophy – Seoul Race Park – 16 May, 2009 – 1800M
1. Super Jet [Archer City Slew – Tae Eulbong (Road of War)] – Kim Young Jin – 5.3 2. Natural Guy [Social Charter – Rocky Stream (Reprimand)] – Choi Beom Hyun – 6.5 3. Yonggeol [Psychobabble – Uri Maeum (Glorify)] – Han Sung Yeol – 129.3
Distances: Neck/4 lengths – 14 ran
Baram Queen rules / Eiki nabs a double / Impeccable Derby-bound
Angus Empire, currently ranked fourth best horse at Seoul, produced a fast finish to land the feature race at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Sent off third favourite behind Seoul Teukgeup and Brilliant Knight, Angus Empire was slow to begin as sprint specialist Gamadongja set the early pace under Nozomu Tomizawa.
As in his last outing, Gamadongja held the lead until the final furlong, but could only manage third as first Angus Empire and then Fly Queen came past with the line in sight. The win was five year old Angus Empire’s [Lion Cavern – Clever Dorothy (Clever Trick)] first of 2009 after three straight placings. Disappointments were Seoul Teukgeup and Pocketful of Money finishing seventh and tenth respectively.
On a day where weather forecasters once more got it gloriously wrong and Seoul basked in sunshine and temperatures in the high seventies, Baram Queen took advantage of the late scratching of likely favourite Siinui Norae to land the day’s second most valuable race. The four year old, who in fourth place was Seoul’s best finisher in the Korean Oaks last year, comfortably held off Saebyeol Achim for a two length win after early pace setter Esteban disappeared in the home straight. Siinui Norae meanwhile, will likely be sidelined for at least six months.
At Busan Race Park, Eiki Nishimura followed up his treble on Friday with a double. The Japanese jockey took race 4 on Champion Rush and race 5 on the improving Kiwi’s Playboy.
And so we are just a week away from the Derby and in Triple Crown news, it has been cofirmed that the filly Love Cat will not run in the big race next week. In her place will be Impeccable, the colt who went into the KRA Cup Mile four for four but finished unplaced. We’ll be starting our week of Derby build-up tomorrow as we gear up for the biggest weekend in Korean racing which will see not only the Derby but also the JRA Cup.
Seven year old retains Cup / Easy for Top Point at Seoul
Angle Slam retained the Gujke Sinmun Cup with a powerful stretch run to overcome Crafty Louis and Miss Ecton in the final furlong of the seven furlong race at Busan Race Park this afternoon.
Last year’s winner was sent off sixth in the betting with Crafty Louis slight favourite in what, as expected, a very open market. Three year old Australian colt Cheonseungmanseung was quickest out of the gate and kept in front until depp in the home straight. He finally ran out of energy, however, as Gu Min Sung guided Angle Slam down the outside to take the victory.
The win is Angle Slam’s first since the corresponding race last year. The seven year old disappointed throughout the latter half of 2008 but ran second last time out and once more, performed when it mattered in the big race. Seond favourite Gunham disappointed, as did filly Mighty Hero. Meanewhile, despite still only having four career wins, Miss Ecton re-confirmed her position as arguably the top foreign bred filly or mare currently in training at Busan. See below for full result.
At Seoul Race Park a bumper crowd was in, possibly enthused by having watched the Kentucky Derby over breakfast and looking for 50/1 shots to come in and remove the need to return to work after the long weekend. There were no surprises in the feature race, however, as Top Point went wire to wire for a routine win ahead of Natural Nine over 1900 metres. The returning Gayasanseong looked comfortable but didn’t have the speed to compete in the home straight and finished sixth.
Also of interest at Seoul was a first win for three year old colt Power of Money. He and the much hyped Symphony Sonata are the only two horses to have been foaled by First Violin during her short time in Korea. Under champion jockey Moon Se Young, Power of Money shot across from gate 12 to the rail (too aggressively according to the stewards, who handed Moon a two day ban for the move) and went on to stretch out for a nine length win.
Gukje Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – 1400M – May 3, 2009
1. Angle Slam (USA) [Gold Case – Platinum Code (Lost Code)] – Gu Min Sung – 12.5 2. Crafty Louis (USA) [Louis Quatorze – Crafty Louis (Crafty Prospector)] – Jo Chang Wook – 4.1 3. Miss Ecton (USA) [Ecton Park – Miss Lion King (Lion Cavern)] – Martin Wepner – 6.3
Distances: 2 lengths/1 length
Also ran: 4. Gyeongcheonsa; 5. Hwanggeumbit Taeya; 6. Heukjanggun; 7. Saeroun Bulpae; 8. Cheonseungmanseung; 9. Gunham; 10. Gangsan Jijo; 11. Seneca Light; 12. Mighty Hero; 13. Spruiker; 14. Dahlonega
Ebony Storm finally wins / Iku bows out blank
Bally Brae emphatically proved that his return to the Winner’s Circle last month was no fluke as he powered to another big race win at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The seven year old had scarcely a single backer in the build-up to the race with the younger pair of Baekjeonmupae and Vicar Love heavily favoured.
Punters knew better, however, and be it out of sentimentality – and Korean racegoers are not, by and large, a sentimental lot – or a genuine belief that the 2006 Horse of the Year is still at the top of his game, by post time Bally Brae had been backed into favourite.
He didn’t disappoint. Vicar Love set the early pace until Cho Kyoung Ho brought the five year old Dankee’s Pal around the field in the back-straight, stretching out to a lead of over five lengths. He maintained the lead going into the home straight and for a while it looked as though he may hold on. Bally Brae, Baekjeonmupae and Vicar Love entered the home straight together but it was only Bally Brae who had the speed to run down Dankee’s Pal, passing him in sight of the line to enable Moon Se Young to perform his familiar victory celebration on this horse as they crossed it.
Some had pointed out that last time, Bally Brae had not had much to beat. Today the big boys were there and now, Dongbanui Gangja is the only horse to have the beating of Bally Brae on current form. Korean racing needs more horses like Bally Brae and another it needs more like is his great rival from 2006, Subsidy. Today the eight year old showed that while he may have slowed, he still belongs in top class races, running on for a creditable fifth, just a length behind Vicar Love, to record his thirty third money finish from thirty six races.
Earlier, Subsidy’s little sister Soseono was denied a second career victory by the narrowest of margins. The filly was leading in the final furlong of race 8, only to be pipped on the line by favourite New Destination.
Down at Busan Race Park, it was Ikuyasu Kurakane’s final day in the saddle in Korea. The Japanese jockey, who will be sorely missed by punters on the south coast, had an uncharacteristically quiet day troubling the placings just once – a third placed finish on Choedae Geoljakpum just behind Phasmes and Jilju Hara in a three way photo finish to race 5.
Nearly a year after his Derby triumph, Ebony Storm finally made his way back to the Winner’s Circle in Busan’s feature. The four year old has managed plenty of second placed finishes but today was finally able to go one better with a fast finish to come from behind to overhaul Gangjaui Beopchik and long time leader Wellbeing Sidae with just metres to spare.
Class 1 (Foreign bred) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – Apr 26, 2009
1. Bally Brae (USA) [Yarrow Brae – Political Bluff (Unaccounted For)] – Moon Se Young – 2.3 2. Dankee’s Pal (USA) [Max’s Pal – Dankee (Regal Intention)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 10.0 3. Baekjeonmupae (NZ) [Traditionally – Star Sixty Seven (Phone Trick)] – Moon Jung Kyun – 2.9
Distances: 1.25 lengths/1 length – 12 ran
Secret Weapon wins/Symphony Sonata beaten
Gangho sent out another warning to Seoul’s elite group of horses as he continued his rapid progress with a fourth straight win at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.
Once more, it was not so much that he won but the manner of it that suggests that this three year old colt has the potential to be the dominant force at the track for some time to come. For the fourth time running, Boo Min Ho took Gangho into an early lead, gave the reins a shake as they rounded the home turn and then allowed him stretch away from the field in the home straight, easing down this time for a nine length win.
This time last year, two three year old imports, Shaving Points and Playing Politics were the horses everyone was talking about. Shaving Points suffered some niggling injuries and hasn’t been able to live up to his early promise. Playing Politics meanwhile was just beginning to demonstrate that he was the real deal when he was struck down with a devastating knee injury in February this year. That he and Gangho will never meet on the track is regrettable. As it is, if Gangho continues to develop as he has so far, the showdown to look forward to will be with Dongbanui Gangja – possibly as early as the Owner’s Association Trophy in June.
While Gangho was the star-attraction of the day, his race wasn’t the feature. That went to Secret Weapon following the early scratching of likely favourite Good Day. For Secret Weapon it was his first win of what had been a disappointing 2009 so far.
Earlier on an eventful day, Ganghan Speed landed a useful fillies and mares race over seven furlongs. The three year old got the better of two year old upstart D Day, who was looking for her third straight win. There was also a second career defeat for Symphony Sonata. The four year old, by E. Dubai and out of First Violin is being watched closely by Korean racegoers due to his parentage. Today he stepped up to class 3 and ran smack into a fully loaded Triple Canon who got the better of him in a stretch battle for a three length win. Triple Canon is now on four wins from seven and is very much a possible Derby contender.
Down at Busan Race Park, there was also an eventful card. Dangdae Star landed the feature race and Sandeomi and Haste found themselves upset a race earlier by a late run from Glory Winner, the five year old gelding upsetting the three year old classic hopefuls.
Class 2 (Foreign bred) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – Apr 19, 2009
1. Gangho (USA) [Peace Rules – Honor Delilah (Honor Grades)] – Boo Min Ho – 1.5 2. Kahnui Jeonseol (NZ) [Howbaddouwantit – Flash (Jetball)] – Ham Was Sik – 7.9 3. Saerounachim (NZ) [Pyrus – Jouet (Langfuhr)] – Kim Dong Cheol – 36.5
Distances: 9 lengths/0.75 lengths – 12 ran
It was easy once more for Dongbanui Gangja as the four year old again confirmed his status as Seoul’s top horse with a commanding victory at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.
Carrying at least seven kilos more than any of his eight rivals, last year’s Grand Prix winner was, as usual, tucked in towards the rear of the field by Choi Beom Hyun as they emerged from the gate at the start of the ten furlong race.
Improving in the back-straight, Choi brought Dongbanui Gangja towards the front as they turned for home and the race was won with nothing likely to live with him in the straight. At the line, the winning margin was seven lengths.
Dongbanui Gangja is now unbeaten in six and has lifetime figures of eleven wind from eighteen outings. The well beaten second was Seungyu Sinhwa with Brilliant Knight taking third.
In other races, after nearly a year without a win, jockey Lee Ae Li recorded her second in as many racing days by taking race 1 on Haedong Teukgeup. Moon Se Young was back in action today but the champion jockey may have been suffering exhaustion on his return from honeymoon as he unusually falied to register a winner.
Racing returns to Seoul tomorrow with the first off at 11:20. Gangho, who could be giving Dongbanui Gangja a run for his moey later in the year, goes in race 9 at 17:00. Busan Race park gets underway at 12:40 and Jeju Race Park at 12:10.
Class 1 (Foreign bred) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – Apr 18, 2009
Horse Racing in Korea 