Menifee retained his Leading Sire crown by a huge margin at the end of a year where his progeny have dominated once again.

Filly Speedy First, who landed a Korean Derby and Oaks double was Menifee’s chief money earner in a year where the Leading sire saw 14.2% of all his starters win.

Forest Camp got the closest to Menifee ahead of Vicar and the late Pico Central. Meanwhile, One Cool Cat just headed Peace Rules in the first-crop sire race. Those latter two will have their first foals reach 3-years-ol in 2014.

Even more competition is on its way. Chapel Royal and Rock Hard Ten covered their first mares in 2013 while the end of the year saw Hansen make his way to Jeju.

Leading General Sires in Korea 2013
Prize Money in Korean won ($1=1055KRW) (Runners/Winners/Starts/Wins) Win %age – Leading Money Earner (Big Race wins)

1. Menifee (USA) 6,985,819,000 (131/67/760/108) 14.2% – Speedy First (Korean Derby/Oaks)
2. Forest Camp (USA) 4,904,203,000 (140/71/874/108) 12.4% – Sting Ray (KRA Cup Mile)
3. Vicar (USA) 4,550,712,000 (104/45/672/75 11.3% – Joy Lucky (Sports Seoul Cup)
4. Pico Central (BRZ) 3,910,888,000 (99/44/605/76) 12.6% – Major King (Minister’s Cup)
5. Volponi (USA) 3,904,000,000 (124/48/872/80) 9.2% – Cheongnyeong Busang (Breeders’ Cup)
6. Creek Cat (USA) 3,270,478,000 (106/46/565/71) 12.6% – High Five
7. Exploit (USA) 3,099,129,000 (124/35/771/57) 7.4% – Singgereounachim
8. Ecton Park (USA) 3,025,779,000 (57/31/342/54) 15.8% – Indie Band (President’s Cup, Grand Prix Stakes)
9. Ingrandire (JPN) 2,378,958,000 (51/14/346/31) 9.0% – Jigeum I Sungan (Owners’ Cup)
10. Yankee Victor (USA) 2,053,560,000 (87/28/504/41) 8.1% – Raon Morris (Gwacheon Mayor’s Cup)

Sadly, we also lost a number of stallions in 2013. Pico Central was the best known among them, but all had their stories. The following registered sires died in 2013:

Dancing Surpass (IRE) – by Dancing Brave. He did his racing in Japan where he also stood at stud before coming to Korea in 2006. Passed away aged 23.

Editor In Chief (USA) – by Kingmambo. Winner of 2 of 4 starts in the US before resuming his racing career in Korea where he won 4 more times. Died in Setember aged 14

Gamun Bobae (USA) – by Silic. A good racer in Korea, passed away from Colic aged 9

Kwaedo Nanma (KOR) – by Didyme. A very good racehorse in Korea with 21 wins and was shaping up to be the best ever domestically bred sire before he died in February aged 15.

Lazer Beam (USA) – by Seeking The Gold. An average racer in the US, he came to Korea in 2001. Had been pensioned after illness for the past 3 years and finally passed away aged 18.

Lethal Instrument (USA) – by Gulch. Winner of 7 races in the US, he came to Korea in 2005. Died aged 17.

Nite Dreamer (CAN) – by El Prado. Earned over $1Million in prize money in the US despite only winning 5 races, a quarter of it coming in the “Cornhuskers Breeders’ Cup” at Prairie Meadows in 1999. His stud career was short and he was pensioned in 2006. He passed away after illness in October aged 18.

Perfect Vision II (USA) – by Storm Cat. Unraced, he came to Korea in 2006. Had been regularly siring winners up until his death, aged 18 in July.

Pico Central (BRZ) – by Spend A Buck. One of the jewels of the Korean breeding program, he sired his first Classic winner Major King, in the same year as his untimely passing aged 14.
Sunny Mountain (KOR) – by Lost Mountain – 5 wins from 12 starts in Korea, he was registered as a stallion but was more a family pet. Died aged 11.

Wanggol (AUS) – by Jet Spur. Won 6 of his 12 starts in Korea. Was retired to stud only this year but fell ill and passed away aged 6 before covering any mares.

Wheels N’Wings (USA) – by Thunder Gulch. A winner of 2 races in the US and 3 in Korea, he had modest success at stud and passed away after illness aged 14 in June.