Tough Win vs Smarty Moonhak – The Preview

It’s time! The race that we’ve been waiting for all year will take place under the floodlights at Busan Race Park this Sunday evening as Tough Win and Smarty Moonhak square-off in the Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Cup. Informally billed as the Summer Grand Prix, it’s the climax of the first half of the season in the same way that the actual Grand Prix – at Seoul in December – rounds off the year.

Tough Win takes the Grand Prix (KRA)

It was in the Grand Prix that Tough Win and Smarty Moonhak met for the first and only time to date. Tough Win won that day, with the late Mister Park beating the then two-year-old Smarty Moonhak into third place. Seven months on and things could very well be different this time.

It’s not a match-race. Last year’s winner Yeonseung Daero returns to try to defend his title while double President’s Cup winner Dangdae Bulpae is also among a field of twelve who will contest the 2000 metre race on Sunday.

Here is a full run-down of all the runners, starting with the big two (gate, name, pedigree (runs/1/2/3) sex, age, weight to carry):

Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Stakes (K.G3) – Busan Race Park – 2000M – Sunday July 22, 19:40

Tough Win (KRA)

6. Tough Win (USA) [Yonaguska – Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] (21/17/2/0) G 5 58Kg – Cho Kyoung Ho (Seoul)
Reigning Grand Prix champion and the best horse in Korea at the moment. He won this race as a three-year old in 2010 but then last year inexplicably got sucked into an early speed duel with Dangdae Bulpae and was exhausted by the time he reached the home straight.

That’s unlikely to happen this time as Cho Kyoung Ho has tended to keep him well back in the early stages of recent races. Tough Win suffered his first bleeding attack last time out while carrying a ridiculous 64kg and while the weight won’t be an issue here, just how much that race took out of him might be. He’s worked well though and is the one to beat.

Smarty Moonhak (KRA)

9. Smarty Moonhak (USA) [Smarty Jones – Maderira M’Dear (Black Tie Affair)] (10/8/1/1) C 3 55Kg – Park Tae Jong (Seoul)
We still have no idea how good this colt is. Aside from his debut, the only time he has had to work in a race was in the Grand Prix and, bearing in mind the distance of the race and his tender age at the time, he wasn’t pushed. His races this year have been little more than public workouts.

This will be his first run at Busan where the back straight is more undulating and the home straight longer than that at Seoul and how he deals with these will be key. With regular jockey Moon Jung Kyun injured, Park Tae Jong, who has ridden more winners than anybody else in Korean racing history, gets the ride. With no disrespect intended to Moon, this can only help his cause. In Korea, jockeys wear their own colours, so Park will be wearing blue.

1. Lion Santa (USA) [Lion Heart – Santa Fe Strip (Phone Trick)] (13/10/1/0) C 4 58Kg – Gerrit Schlechter (Busan)
Won his first nine starts but has only won once from three tries this year and has never even attempted further than 1800M. In Gerrit Schlechter, he has the track’s in-form jockey in board and the South African has picked this one over two others.
2. Cheonjidolpung (USA) [Tactical Cat – Luminate (A.P.Indy)] (34/5/0/4) G 7 58Kg – Seo Do Soo (Seoul)
His third consecutive year running in the race, he took advantage of the favourites’ mistakes to finish fourth last year. He will be hard pushed to equal that this year.
3. Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] (42/16/8/5) H 6 55kg – Choi Si Dae (Busan)
A wonderful horse, one of the best ever at Busan. Took full advantage of Tough Win and Dangdae Bulpae’s mistakes last year to claim a career capping victory and his been winning since. He can never ever be counted out.
4. Adam One (USA) [Sligo Bay – Toddles (Real Courage)] (30/3/3/3) G 5 58Kg – Lee Gi Hweoi (Seoul)
Smarty Moonhak’s work and stablemate, he’s here because there was space both in the race and in the horsebox on the way down. The only horse in Ko Ok Bong’s stable who can keep up with Smarty Moonhak in trackwork, he’ll not be able to in the race.
5. Jeonseong Sidae (AUS) [Stromberg Carlsen – Jessie’s Journey (Crown Jester)] (13/6/4/3) C 4 58Kg – Jo Chang Wook (Busan)
Without a win this year but with plenty of talent. However, an outside chance of a place at best.
7. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (24/15/2/1) H 5 55Kg – Jo Sung Gon (Busan)
Last year’s favourite and the two-time President’s Cup winner. An in-form Dangdae Bulpae should be able to live with anybody, including Tough Win and Smarty Moonhak. Whether he can beat them though is another question entirely. Looking at it objectively, the conclusion must be that he can’t.
8. Sangseung Geotap (USA) [Indian Charle – Mirta (Theatrical)] (19/7/2/1) F 4 56Kg – Kanichiro Fujii (Busan)
The only filly in the race won the KNN Trophy last time out but the fact that Gerrit Schlechter has decided to get off her may say somethng about her chances here.
10. Smoking Gun (USA) [Hat Trick – Desdemona’s Dream (Announce)] (5/4/1/0) C 3 55Kg – Yukio Abe (Busan)
The wildcard. Lightly raced but very impressive, this may appear to be too much too soon. However, with Yukio Abe on board and a confident trainer (who also trains Lion Santa), he may be worth an outside bet for a place.
11. Jumong (USA) [Johar – Foreign Aid (Danzig)] (30/9/7/4) H 5 58Kg – Ham Wan Sik (Seoul)
A very solid competitor and half-brother to the late Subsidy, Jumong runs in all the big races. He looks overmatched but has every chance of finishing in a moneying position.
12. Ghost Whisper (KOR) [Gotham City – Emmy’s Lullaby (Unbridled’s Song)] (11/7/3/0) G 4 56Kg – Kim Yong Geun (Busan)
Australian trainer Peter Wolsley lets his new stable star take his chance here, the grey was disqualified last time but otherwise was on a run of three straight wins inclusing two at class 1. Kim Yong Geun is an able rider and he may be worth backing for a place.

Verdict: Tough Win is a very strong competitor and most believed that it would not be until later in the year that Smarty Moonhak would be able to challenge him. Neither has put a foot wrong this year but his progress has been such that Smarty Moonhak can be the one who leaves Busan with the title “Best Horse in Korea”.

* Last year’s Busan Metropolitan was a disaster for jockeys Cho Kyoung Ho and Jo Sung Gon on Tough Win and Dangdae Bulpae respectively. They both get a chance to put things right this year – here’s what happened:

Seo Seung Un Headed For Asian Young Guns Challenge

Apprentice jockey Seo Seung Un has had quite the career so far. He debuted in August last year – riding two winners on his first weekend – and went on to ride 25 more until he went to the USA two months ago where he rode three more winners.

Seo Seung Un returns after his 25th winner – he’ll be off to Macau in August for the Asian Young Guns Challenge

Now back in Korea, Seo will soon be on his travels again as he becomes the first Korean jockey to participate in the annual “Asian Young Guns Challenge” which will be held in Macau on August 4.

Now in its fourth year, the challenge brings together some of the most promising apprentice jockeys from the Asia-Pacific region (and South Africa) to ride in a three-race series.

The event was hosted by the Victoria Racing Club at Flemington in Melbourne in 2009 and 2011 and by the Singapore Turf Club at Kranji in 2010.

Jockeys taking part this year are:

Ng Ka Chun (Hong Kong)
Taichi Nishimura (Japan)
Shinsuke Ishikawa (Japan)
Seo Seung Un (Korea)
Yazid Kamal (Malaysia)
Zawari Razali (Singapore)
Keagan De Melo (South Africa)
Jake Noonan (Australia)
Jason Collett (New Zealand)

They will be joined by a local representative from Macau for the three races, two of which will be on turf and one on sand. KRA Jockey Academy Instructor Robert Moore will be accompanying Seo on the trip.

More info is at the Macau Jockey Club website

New Jockeys Beat The Odds

Ahn Hyo Ri, Park Hyun Woo, Kim Hyun Joong All Win

Two apprentice jockeys scored their first ever career winners in the unlikeliest of circumstances at Seoul this past Saturday.

Park Hyun Woo and Ahn Hyo Ri demonstrate traditional awkward Korean poses after their debut wins at Seoul (Pic: Ilgan Sports)

Park Hyun Woo and Ahn Hyo Ri both graduated from the KRA Jockey Academy this year and debuted last month.

Neither had won on from their few rides to date coming into last weekend but that changed as first Park and then later Ahn both rode long priced winners.

Race 2 saw Park ride 280/1 chance Misojanchi to a half-length victory, overtaking champion jockey Moon Se Young on Jeilgosu in the final furlong. It was the longest priced winner at Seoul for some years and an encouraging performance in the saddle from Park who looked very much at home in the finish.

Late on in the afternoon, it was Ahn’s turn. Her win came in race 8 on 53/1 chance Time Zone. Always well-placed, the pair overtook early pacesetter Vicar Summit in the final furlong and went on to record a relatively comfortable length and a half victory.

Winner at Busan: Kim Hyun Joong (Pic: Ilgan Sports)

Down at Busan another new apprentice was also riding a long-priced winner last weekend. Kim Hyun Joong, who debuted at the same time as Ahn and Park, got his second career victory on Sunday.

And it was an impressive performance as, on 48/1 Busan Prince, he beat out South African rider Gerrit Schlechter riding odds-on favourite Gwangsok Engine by a nose in a photo finish.

It’s early days but it seems we have another talented crop of young apprentices. With young jockeys these days being given much more of an opportunity to prove themselves than they once were – owners and trainers knowing that they’ve been better trained than their predecessors – no doubt there will be plenty more visits to the winner’s circle for all of them

Follow The Fleet!

Jigeum I Sungan Beaten A Nose By Fleet Boy In Munhwa Ilbo

It looked like Jigeum I Sungan was just going to do enough to win the Munhwa Ilbo Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. However, the Korean Derby winner just ran out of rain-soaked track as 10/1 chance Fleet Boy held on to take victory by a nose.

Making his first appearance since winning the big one in May, Jigeum I Sungan was sent off as the odds-on favourite for the seven furlong Stakes race. It was filly Cheoneun, so talented but so inconsistent, who made the early running with Fleet Boy in close attendance and Jigeum I Sungan sitting comfortably in the middle of the pack.

Cheoneun tired in the home straight and Fleet Boy took over at the front while Jigeum I Sungan came through the middle, closing quickly. The head start he had given Fleet Boy was just too much, however, and the four-year-old just managed to hang on to take victory.

A late developer, it was a fifth win from fourteen starts for Fleet Boy and his third this year. As for Jigeum I Sungan, he’ll still be among the favourites for the final three-year-old Classic, the Minister’s Cup in the autumn. Cheoneun held on for third and will most likely try her luck in the Korean Oaks at Busan next month.

Munhwa Ilbo Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – July 15, 2012

1. Fleet Boy (KOR) [Creek Cat – Fleet Carla (Afleet)] – Jo In Kwen – 10.2, 2.2
2. Jigeum I Sungan (KOR) [Ingrandire – Solmaru (Mujaazif)] – Moon Se Young – 1.2
3. Cheoneun (KOR) [Forest Camp – Naha (Silver Buck)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 2.2

Distances: Nose/2 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Gieongnal Geunal 5. Jeumeundeungi 6. Magic Light 7. Firenze 8. Seungniuihamseong 9. Shoot The Gold 10. Reverse Captain 11. Concho Dancer 12. Full Moon Party 13. Black Thunder 14. Challenge Vision

* Down at similarly sodden Busan, there was a breakthrough win for Joe Fujii. The Japanese jockey claimed his first feature race victory as he guided last year’s Minister’s Cup winner Dongseo Jeongbeol (Vicar) to an emphatic 8 length win in the class 1 race 5.

Weekend Preview

Jigeum I Sungan (Ingrandire) makes his first appearance on the track since winning the Korean Derby in May as he heads the field in Sunday’s Munhwa Ilbo Cup at Seoul Race Park.

Derby winner Jigeum I Sungan makes his re-appearance on Sunday

The 1400 metre race is the main event of what looks set to be a very wet weekend on the peninsula. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday July 13

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

Saturday July 14

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:20
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday July 15

Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 11:00 to 17:45
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:15

Schlechter’s Nobel Prize

Nobel Pokpung In Minister’s Cup Frame As Gerrit Schlechter Rides Second Korean Stakes Winner

Nobel Pokpung was a convincing winner of the Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo Cup at Busan Race PArk this afternoon, to put him firmly among the top contenders for the Minister’s Cup, the final leg of the Korean Triple Crown.

And his win was under a fine ride by South African jockey Gerrit Schlechter, who not only landed his second Korean Stakes race victory but also scored three winners on the day.

Nobel Pokpung and Gerrit Schlecter in the winner’s circle (Pic: Gyeongnam Do Min News)

Sent off as the 3/1 favourite on the back of his second place in the Korean Derby, Nobel Pokpung was kept towards the back for the first half of the 1800 metre race, which featured some of Busan’s best three-year olds.

Schlechter asked him to improve rounding the final turn and although they had to go very wide, Nobel Pokpung was far too strong for any of his rivals. Third favourite Predict under Yukio Abe put in a brief challenge in the final furlong but Nobel Pokpung saw him off comfortably, winning by a length on the line, with 30/1 outsider Sangseung Mode a surprise third.

Disappointment of the race was filly Grand Teukgeup. Sent off as second favourite, she led the field for the first half of the race but disappeared from view as they entered the home straight, finishing back in seventh.

Nobel Pokpung and Gerrit Schlechter make their move entering the home straight (Pic: Gyeongnam Do Min News)

Remarkably this was Nobel Pokpung’s first win of the year and only his fourth overall. However, given a few extra strides, he may have won the Derby and as the distances get bigger, so do his performances. He looks like a colt with plenty more to give and the extra furlong in the Minister’s Cup back at Seoul in the autumn should be ideal for him.

Hopefully Schlechter will still be with him then. With his treble today the South African now has 24 wins since debuting earlier in the year.

Gyeongnam Do Min Ilbo Cup – Busan Race Park – 1800M – July 8, 2012

1. Nobel Pokpung (KOR) [Didyme – Shar Baby (Talinim)] – Gerrit Schlechter – 3.6, 1.6
2. Predict (KOR) [The Groom Is Red – Muhanseungni (Big Sur)] – Yukio Abe – 1.9
3. Sangseung Mode (KOR) [Vicar – Variety Lady (Variety Road)] – Kim Young Min – 6.6

Distances: 1 length/1.5 lengths – 13 ran

Weekend Preview

Gyeongnam Do-Min Ilbo Stakes could offer Classic Clues

A couple of years ago the Korean Meteorological Administration said there was no point in it trying to predict when it’s going to rain during monsoon season as it’s easier to pick a winner in a maiden pony race on Jeju Island. Or words to that effect. That season began in spectacular fashion last Friday night and we lost a day’s racing at Seoul last Saturday as a result.

It shouldn’t look like this at the weekend but don’t bet against it

We should therefore be cautious about the forecast that predicts a bright and sunny weekend. We can but hope though as Busan Race Park on Sunday plays host to what should be an entertaining renewal of the Gyeongnam Do-Min Ilbo Stakes.

Nine three-year olds join four older horses in the 1800 metre test which serves as a trial for the remaining Classics. Grand Teukgeup (Menifee), Joiner Peace (Menifee) and Over Power (Ft. Stockton) are being run with next month’s Korean Oaks in mind while colts Predict (The Groom Is Red), Nobel Pokpung (Didyme), Dream Tower (Forest Camp) are among those looking towards the Minister’s Cup in three months’ time.

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday July 6

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

Saturday July 7

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:20
Jeju Race Park: 8 races from 12:20 to 16:50

Sunday July 8

Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 11:00 to 17:45
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:45

Tough Win, Smarty Moonhak Set For Busan Metro Showdown

Dangdae Bulpae, Yeonseung Daero, Lion Santa, Smoking Gun Also Go In “Summer Grand Prix”

It’s been confirmed that Grand Prix Stakes winner and current top-rated horse in Korea Tough Win (Yonaguska) and the horse considered his closest challenger, Smarty Moonhak (Smarty Jones), will both travel to Busan on July 22nd for the Busan Metropolitan City Mayor’s Stakes.

The “Troika”: Tough Win (centre) will be up against Smarty Moonhak (left) in the Busan Metropolitan. The late Mister Park (right), who split them in the Grand Prix, is sorely missed

The race, the south coast’s richest is also known as the “Summer Grand Prix” and it will see Tough Win and Smarty Moonhak face each other for the first time since last December when the then two-year-old Smarty Moonhak finished third behind the victorious Tough Win in the nation’s most prestigious race.

Tough Win was a narrow winner of this race as a three-year-old in 2010. However returning to Busan last year and sent off as the heavy favourite, he inexplicably became involved in an early speed duel with Dangdae Bulpae. This left both horses exhausted in the home straight and allowed Yeonseung Daero to come through for the win.

Yeonseung Daero (Creek Cat) will also be back this year as will Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki), now a two-time President’s Cup winner. Aussie-bred Jeonseong Sidae (Stromberg Carlson) will be there as will prolific winner Lion Santa (Lion Heart) and young US import Smoking Gun (Hat Trick).

While this race is the biggest of the year so far and the clash between Smarty Moonhak and Tough Win the most eagerly awaited since Tough Win himself then the upstart, faced Dongbanui Gangja in the same race two years ago, there is nevertheless a touch of sadness surrounding the occasion.

Were it not for the break-down and death of Mister Park during his tune-up race last month, this would have been a three-way rematch from the Grand Prix. We still have a great race but we will also be remembering the record-breaking champion.

Here are the entries:

Busan Metropolitian City Stakes – Busan Race Park – 2000M, July 22, 2012

Jeonseong Sidae (AUS) [Stromberg Carlson-Jessie’s Journey (Crwon Jester)] (13/6/4/3) Busan
Yeonseung Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat-Sensationalkris (Cryptoclearance)] (42/16/8/5) Busan
Sangseung Geotap (USA) [Indian Charlie-Mirta (Theatrical)] (19/7/2/1) Busan
Smoking Gun (USA) [Hat Trick-Desdemona’s Dream (Announce)] (5/4/1/0) Busan
Lion Santa (USA) [Lion Heart-Santa Fe Strip (Phone Trick)] (13/10/1/0) Busan
Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki-Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (24/15/2/1) Busan
Gamdonguibada (USA) [Werblin-Radyla (Country Pine)] (7/4/2/1) Busan
Smarty Moonhak (USA) [Smarty Jones-Madeira M’Dear (Black Tie Affair)] (10/8/1/1) Seoul
Tough Win (USA) [Yonaguska-Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] (21/17/2/0) Seoul
Adam One (USA) [Sligo Bay-Toddles (Real Courage)] (30/3/3/3) Seoul
Jumong (USA) [Johar-Foreign Aid (Danzig)] (30/9/7/4) Seoul
Cheonjidolpung (USA) [Tactical Cat-Luminate (A.P.Indy)] (34/5/0/4) Seoul

Seoul Trainers Choi Hye Sik, Park Won Deok and Kim Chun Geun Retire

Three of Seoul’s most experienced trainers have saddled their last runners. Choi Hye Sik, Kim Chun Geun and Park Won Deok all retired at the end of June.

From left to right: Retiring Trainers Kim Chun Geun, Choi Hye Sik and Park Won Deok (and their plus ones) at their retirement ceremony last week (Pic: KRA)

Of the three – all former jockeys – Park, who debuted in 1987, was the most successful, sending out two Grand Prix Stakes winners; Tahamkke (Dance Floor) in 2001 and Tempest West (Silent Tempest) in 2003. Tahamkke would win five Stakes races.

Choi, who took out his license in 1984, also won the Grand Prix. He saddled 1995 winner Dae Kyeun (Northern Regent), an Australian bred gelding who won 29 of his 49 starts over a 7 year career.

Longest serving trainer Kim, who sent out his first runner in 1978, recorded the most wins of the three but the fewest Stakes races. His biggest triumph was winning the 2006 Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy with Waromar (Wallenda).

The retirements open up three barns for those who recently passed the trainer license exam and the KRA will announce shortly who will take up the vacant positions. Training is one of the areas where Korea still lags far behind international standards.

New trainers are now sent to gain experience overseas with the UK, Australia and South Africa the most popular destinations at the moment. When the overseas program was started a couple of years ago, the first participants went to the US, however, unlike jockeys who can learn a lot in the States there’s a growing feeling that trainers would benefit more by going to jurisdictions with similar medication rules to Korea.

Whether it pays off – and with the strong Unions still deterring any foreign trainers from trying their hand at Seoul, we’ll only know some years down the line.

Weekend Review: Washouts & Winners

The monsoon season finally arrived in Seoul with a vengeance on Friday evening. The rain was so hard that Gyongmaman struggled to keep his red wine dry. It all proved too much for Seoul Race Park’s drainage system and with no let-up on Saturday morning, the decision was made to call off the day’s racing.

Uh oh: The Seoul track was designed to cope with the monsoon but it couldn’t cope on Saturday (Pic: Ilgan Sports)

The monsoon season happens every year and racing continues even during the most extreme downpours, however, this time the 15 hour deluge was overwhelming and the track was deemed unsafe to race.

The rain stopped mid-afternoon Saturday and Sunday was a glorious day at both Seoul and Busan. The pick of the action was on the South Coast and the foreign jockey contingent was in fine form. South African Gerrit Schlechter got things rolling with a win on Peter Wolsley’s promising filly Sangseungdaecheong (Ft. Stockton) in race 1.

Winners: Yukio Abe

Yukio Abe took race 2 on US import Kellan (Cape Town) before he and fellow Japanese rider Narazaki Kosuke took the honours in the two feature races. Kosuke rode hot favourite Tamna Hwangje (Montbrook) to a comfortable six-length victory in race 5 before Abe and five-year-old Saeroun Taeyang (Volponi) upset KRA Cup Mile winner Gyeongbudaero in the finale.

With Joe Fujii coming in second to Abe twice today, the foreigners continue to do well down in Gyeongnam

* Up at Seoul, the feature race went to favourite Prime Galloper (Strodes Creek), with a dominant 8 length win. It was a fourth straight victory for the four-year old who, if he continues his current form, could find himself competing for some very big prizes later in the season.