Useung Touch vs Geumdda at Busan / Ace Galloper at Seoul
The Korea Racing Authority has been in the news this week for its financial acumen in the movie industry, or otherwise, but there’s little time to dwell on that as we’re just a week away from the Korean Derby!
While there’s no Stakes action on the peninsula this weekend, there’s plenty to keep us occupied.
Useung Touch faces Geumdda at Busan
At Busan, Sunday sees a battle of the fillies as 2011 Oaks winner Useung Touch (Menifee) faces Geumdda (Officer), a three-year old with 6 wins from 7 starts.
Conceived in the US (although both her sire and dam are now in Korea), Geumdda is ineligible for the Triple Crown races but looks a force to be reckoned with at distances of up to a mile. At 1500M, this should be a good race.
At Seoul, while Saturday’s card is perhaps the weakest for many months, there is a class 1 feature race on Sunday. Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal) heads an eleven-strong field over 1700 metres.
It is set to be a beautiful weekend. Here’s what’s happening when and where:
Friday May 11
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30
Saturday May 12
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:40 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:00
Sunday May 13
Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 11:00 to 17:40 Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:40
The only filly and one of just three three-year-olds in a field of thirteen, Gamdonguibada (Werblin) announced her arrival in Korean racing in fine fashion by winning the Gukje Sinmun Cup at Busan this afternoon.
Coming into the race off the back of a fine second place in the Ttukseom Cup at Seoul, Gamdonguibada was sent off the 5/1 third-favourite behind last year’s winner Lion Santa (Lion Heart) who entered the race not only as defending champion, but also with a record of 10 wins from 12 career starts.
Today never looked likely to be win number 11 for Lion Santa though. After getting caught out of position on the final turn, the four-year old offered nothing in the sprint and finished a shocking second from last.
Up at the business end of the race, Gamdonguibada, always well-placed, came with a fast run down the rail to overhaul long-time leader Prince Kingdom (Roar Of The Tiger) in the final furlong and stretched out to a two-length win. Aussie import Jeonseong Sidae (Stromberg Carlson) was third.
With the win, Gamdonguibada, a $31,000 purchase from Ocala last year, has cemented her position as the top three-year old import at Busan so far this season.
Gukje Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – May 6, 2012
1. Gamdonguibada (USA) [Werblin – Radyla (Country Pine)] – Kim Yong Geun – 5.7, 2.0 2. Prince Kingdom (USA) [Roar Of The Tiger – Special Wife (Husband)] – You Hyun Myoung – 3.6 3. Jeonseong Sidae (AUS) [Stromberg Carlson – Jessie’s Journey (Crown Jester)] – Choi Si Dae – 1.8
On a bright but blustery day in Seoul the main attraction was, of course, Smarty Moonhak (Smarty Jones). The three-year-old was making his fourth appearance of the year and, having been sent off at odds of 1/9, he made light of his 61kg impost and short work of thirteen rivals to win the 2000 metre handicap by nine lengths.
On The Turn: The only time the field were level with Smarty Moonhak was in the paddock
The general feeling among the track is that if his rematch with Tough Win, the horse who beat him in the Grand Prix in December was to take place at level weights tomorrow, the older horse may still just about have the advantage.
Given an extra month or two, if Smarty Moonhak continues with his current development, there will be no contest. Smarty Moonhak moves onto 8 wins from 10 career starts.
We’re just two weeks away from the Korean Derby. Unfortunately, Smarty Moonhak, as an import, will not be allowed to compete. On Kentucky Derby weekend, many have questioned whether a horse of his talent would have been better served being shipped back to the US to take his chances on the Derby trail.
In reality, the time he spent in Korea being trained for Korean racing would have put him at a massive disadvantage compared with his native contemporaries. He is naturally very gifted and, had he stayed home, who knows what may have happened. Of course, we can ask that question about any horse who goes anywhere. As it is, it’s unlikely we’ll ever be seeing Smarty Moonhak able to compete internationally.
Smarty Set To Extend Winning Streak At Seoul / Lion Santa Defends Gukje Sinmun At Busan
Smarty Moonhak (Smarty Jones) makes his fourth appearance of 2012 at Seoul Race Park this coming Sunday and the three-year-old phenom will need to be strong as he will carry 61Kg over 2000 metres in the feature handicap.
Smarty Goes Again: Smarty Moonhak runs on Sunday
Regardless of the weight, he still shouldn’t have much trouble seeing off the 13 horses who will challenge him. The best class 1’s have stayed away leaving Jewang Tansaeng (Petionville) the next highest rated in the race.
Few will bet against Smarty Moonhak extending his record to 8 wins from 10 starts, nor against jockey Moon Jung Kyun once more not needing to use his stick, as he builds up for his eventual showdown with Grand Prix champion Tough Win.
Down at Busan there is Stakes action on Sunday in the shape of the Gukje Sinmun Cup. This time last year, Lion Santa (Lion Heart) won this race to maintain his then unbeaten record and have people talk about him in the same way that they talk about Smarty Moonhak now.
It didn’t quite work out though and he proved to be beatable. However, he’s only lost twice in twelve career starts and has every right to be favourite here. The evergreen Yeonseung Daero (Creek Cat) will be out to stop him as will proven winners Full Forest (Full Mandate), Dangdae Champ (Falkirk) and Jeonseong Sidae (Stromberg Carlson).
Yeonseung Daero – out to beat Lion Santa in the Gukje Sinmun
It should be a cracking race. Yukio Abe is suspended this weekend, but both Gerrit Schlechter and Narazaki Kosuke have rides in the big race.
Schlechter, who has 10 rides across the weekend will ride venerable old-stager Admiral Reigart (General Royal) while Kosuke (who has 13 rides) gets the mount on the in-form Sand Hi (Stormy Atlantic) who, on recent form, must be in with as chance.
Here’s what’s happening when and where on what is set to be a beautiful weekend in Korea:
Friday May 4
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30
Saturday May 5
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:40 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:00
Sunday May 6
Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 11:00 to 17:45 – Smarty Moonhak will race at 17:15. Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:45 including the Gujke Sinmun Stakes at 15:50
It has been announced that Chun Chang Ki, a multiple Classic winning jockey and a Stakes winning trainer, died on Wednesday May 2 at the age of 46. Chun had fought a long battle with cancer.
Chun Chang Ki, 1966-2012 (KRA)
Chun Chang Ki turned professional in the Spring of 1987 at the old Seoul Racecourse at Ttukseom. Although a solid rider in the nineties, in was in the early 2000’s that Chun went on to establish himself as one of the top jockeys in Korea. In a five-year period between 2002 and 2007, he won every big race going.
Among 21 Stakes wins he won the Grand Prix once (Bohamian Butler in 2002), the Korean Derby once (Saebyeok Dongja in 2005) and the Ttukseom Cup three times (Bukcheon in 2003 and Star Wood in 2005 and 2006). However, it is his partnership with two of Korea’s most famous horses, that many racing fans will remember him for.
The grey half siblings Baekgwang and Baekpa are arguably the most popular Korean horses ever. In 2006, Chun guided the colt Baekgwang to victories in the Donga Ilbo Cup and the Minister’s Cup, the third leg of the Korean Triple Crown. A year later he rode half-sister Baekpa to the Sports Seoul Trophy and then, most famously, to the Korean Oaks. It was the jockey’s third triumph in the fillies’ classic.
In early 2008 Chun was first diagnosed with lung cancer. He fought the disease vigorously and while he had to give up his twenty-year jockey career, by 2009 he had recovered sufficiently to take up the trainer’s license that he had earlier qualified for.
Chun Chang Ki wins the 2007 Korean Oaks on Baekpa (KRA)
Chun’s second career showed every sign of being as successful as his first. Building up a barn of 22 horses, he had sent out 46 winners since saddling his first runner in 2009 with his greatest success coming in the 2011 Munhwa Ilbo Stakes with filly Legal Lady.
Another filly of his, Cheoneun, is a possible runner in the Korean Derby later this month and is likely a major contender for the Korean Oaks. Sadly, the cancer never let go and the widely respected Chun will not see if she can repeat Baekpa’s feat.
Chun Chang Ki is survived by his wife and two children.
Filly Imperial Star stepped up to Class 1 for the first time at Seoul Race Park on Sunday and, after three consecutive second placed finishes, made no mistake as she swept to the win in the feature race.
Imperial Star and Won Jung Il win Sunday's feature at Seoul (Pic: Ross Holburt)
While she benefitted from the late scratching of another filly, Mustang Queen, who beat her in the HRI Trophy last month, it was a performance full of promise from Imperial Star (Nihon Pillow Neil) and was her fifth career win.
Down at Busan, Peter Wolsley’s Ghost Whisper (Gotham City) was in unstoppable form as he cruised to victory in the first of co-feature races. It his third straight win and his seventh in ten starts. It was also South African jockey Gerrit Schlechter’s third victory of the weekend and his biggest since starting at Busan earlier this month.
Ghost Whisper is now established as Aussie trainer Wolsley’s stable star. In the second of the day’s co-features, the horse who formerly had that status, Gyeongkwaehanjilju (Tapit) put in a second consecutive disappointing performance since supposedly recovering from whatever ailed him in the season-ending Grand Prix Stakes last year.
While at Busan, the foreign jockeys were on top form – Yukio Abe also got three winners on Friday, at Seoul it was the turn of the women.
Yoo Mi Ra drives Real Play to victory (Pic: Ross Holburt)
It had been nearly two years since Yoo Mi Ra last tasted victory. However, she brought that dismal run to an end with a smart victory in Saturday’s race 8 on Real Play (Field Asuka). In the time since her last winner, Yoo Mi Ra has been overtaken by two other young female jockeys.
Kim Hae Sun Returns to the Winner's Circle for the second time today
Lee Ah Na was among the winners on Saturday while on Sunday it was the turn of Kim Hae Sun, who earlier in the year ceame the quickest woman to ride out her apprenticeship, to hit the board. Kim took two wins, first on Naejangsan (Menifee) and then later on Ecoroof Star (Exploit).
It takes the 23-year-old to 52 career wins and another step towards joining the top ranks of Korean jockeys – almost all of whom she is already more talented than.
Next week Stakes action returns to the peninsula in the shape of the Gukje Sinmun Cup at Busan. Meanwhile, Smarty Moonhak (Smarty Jones) is among early entries for next Sunday’s feature race at Seoul with a 50/50 chance of running.
The Korea Racing Authority (KRA) confirmed on Thursday that trainer Kim Myoung Guk has had his license suspended after being placed under investigation for alleged breaches of Korean racing’s very strict integrity laws.
Although the details of the alleged offences were not made public at this time, these kind of charges generally relate to the illicit passing on of information that hasn’t been made available to the public.
Kim Myoung Guk has been training since 1995 and has saddled 370 winners from 4597 runners. He won Korea’s most prestigious race, the Grand Prix Stakes with Flying Cat in 2006 and has sent out the winner of the Sports Chosun Cup on two occasions. The Owners’ Trophy and JRA Trophy are also among the big races he has won.
Kim currently has 17 horses in his barn, an average size for Seoul, although he had yet to send out a winner this year.
17/1 outsider Cheonun sprinted past the favourites to land victory in an exciting renewal of the Owners’ Trophy at a rain-lashed Seoul Race Park this afternoon.
Cheonun and Jang Chu Yeol return after success in the Owners' Cup
With almost the whole field still in contention with a furlong to run, it was the 5-year old mare, 2nd in the Korean Oaks in 2010, who swooped wide and late to get the better of pre-race favourite Magnifique (Menifee) and second-favourite Real Victor (Biwa Shinseiki).
It was an 8th career victory for Cheonun (Ft. Stockton) and her third big race triumph, following wins in the 2010 Sports Seoul Cup and 2011 NACF Chairman’s race. This was, however, the first time she had beaten male horses in a Stakes race. She’s only been out of the money once in her 22 outings.
For jockey Jang Chu Yeol, less than two years into his professional riding career, it was a first Stakes victory. The 23-year-old is thought of as one of the best young riding talents in the country and last autumn rode two winners in the United States.
SROA Trophy (KOR.G3) – Seoul Race Park – 1400M – April 22, 2012
1. Cheonun (KOR) [Ft.Stockton-Restless Patricia (Born Restless)] – Jang Chu Yeol – 17.3, 3.5 2. Magnifique (KOR) [Menifee-Miss Beautiful (Miswaki)] – Kim Ok Sung – 1.4 3. Real Victor (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki-Hyunmo (Real Quiet)] – Jo In Kwen – 1.8
Distances: 0.5 lengths/1.75 lengths – 14 ran
If Cheonun can keep today’s form up, she may even find herself invited to the Grand Prix Stakes at the end of the season. After the Owners’ Trophy was done, last year’s Grand Prix winner, Tough Win (Yonaguska) put in his second appearance of the season. And despite carrying 63.5Kg, it was as routine as his first.
This time, jockey Cho Kyoung Ho opted to drop Tough Win right to the back of the field and, instead of coming round the outside, went right through the middle in the home straight.
Although for a very short time it looked like he may have trouble getting through, his victory was as comfortable as ever and the inevitable rematch between him and Smarty Moonhak is looking ever more enticing.
A rain-lashed Tough Win saunters to victory
In contrast to Seoul, it was a glorious spring day at Busan. Double President’s Cup Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) recordd a routine win in the afternoon’s feature.
Of the foreign jockeys at Busan, Japanese riders Yukio Abe and Narazaki Kosuke were both on target, but South African Gerrit Schlechter was unable to follow-up on the double he rode on Friday, drawing a blank from 4 rides.
By the end of the year, Korea may well have its first female President. Of course, the woman in question has had some advantages. She is, after all, the daughter of the dictator who presided over nearly two decades of extraordinary economic development – and numerous human rights abuses. However, if it happens, it will still be an historic moment.
Another Milestone: Lee Shin Young (Pic: KRA)
There is another woman worthy of respect; a woman who should be headlining news bulletins and giving speeches at the nation’s top Universities. For more than ten years, Lee Shin Young has been achieving things no other woman has ever before come close to in the ultra-male dominated world of Korean horse racing. Today, she achieved a little more.
Lee Shin Young was only the third Korean woman to gain a jockey license. She rode 90 winners before last year, at the age of 31, becoming the first Korean woman to qualify as a trainer and open her own barn. It would be wrong to say that most expected her to fail.
Even those who may wanted have her to fall on her face – and there were some – knew enough about Lee to not make the mistake of underestimating her. A formidable character and talent, she was always going to succeed.
With 15 winners from her first 100 runners, Lee entered four-year old colt Holy Moely (Nihon Pillow Neil) into the Selangor Turf Club Trophy at Seoul Race Park today. Under jockey Shin Hyoung Chul – 13 years Lee’s senior, the 9-1 chance led from gate-to-wire in driving rain to record a comfortable victory.
It wasn’t a Stakes race, but it was by far the biggest win of Lee’s training career to date. She has 17 horses under her care now and more are likely to come.
You never see a woman leading-up or hot-walking a horse at Seoul or Busan. However, young jockeys such as Kim Hae Sun and Lee Ah Na are coming through and there are now more young women in the KRA’s education system. Check their Facebook pages and without fail, they list Lee Shin Young as the person they most admire.
She’s unknown outside of racing circles and she’s probably not at all bothered by that. She should be as what she has achieved deserves wider recognition. What’s most exciting though, is at just 32 years of age, her greatest achievements are perhaps still yet to come.
Selangor Turf Club Trophy – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – April 21, 2012
1. Holy Moely (KOR) [Nihon Pillow Neil-A.P.Ranshu (Adjudicating)] – Shin Hyoung Chul – 9.6, 3.2 2. Special Win (KOR) [Tahamkke-Wellbeing Cat (Creek Cat)] – Moon Jung Kyun – 2.0 3. Capital Song (KOR) [Capital Spending-Songstress (Bluebird)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 1.7
It’s been an absolutely stunning week on the peninsula. Temperatures have been in the low twenties, the sun has been shining and the cherry blossoms have finally come out. Naturally as soon as the working week is done, it’s set to pour with rain on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully that rain won’t put too much of a dampener on what is a double-header of big race action at Seoul Race Park this weekend.
Triple Seven is a Ttukseom Cup winner
On Saturday, it’s the Selangor Turf Club Trophy while Sunday sees the Group 3 Seoul Owners’ Association Trophy.
The STC Trophy is the latest edition of the exchange race that the KRA holds in partnership with Malaysia’s Selangor Turf Club. Two apprentice riders have joined the usual dignitaries in making the trip to Seoul this week and will ride in the race which sees fourteen class 2 Korean bred runners compete over 9 furlongs.
The main event of the weekend, however, is on Sunday. The Owners’ Trophy also has a full field of fourteen and is headed by former Ttukseom Cup winner Triple Seven (The Groom Is Red). Ilgan Sports Cup winner Geuma Champ (Vicar) makes his first appearance since finishing third in last year’s Minister’s Cup while in-form Real Victor (Biwa Shinseiki) and Suseong TX (Concept Win) also go along with the always dangerous Magnifique (Menifee) and Cheonun (Ft. Stockton). It is set to be an intriguing race.
Once the Owners’ Cup is done, Grand Prix champion Tough Win (Yonaguska) will make his second appearance of 2012. He’ll be carrying an unprecedented 63.5kg against eleven rivals in a 1900 metre handicap.
Down at Busan there are co-feature races on Sunday. Double President’s Cup winner Dangdae Bulpae (Biwa Shinseiki) is the star attraction.
Of the foreign jockeys at Busan, Gerrit Schlechter has eleven rides across the weekend, Narazaki Kosuke has twelve and Yukio Abe fourteen, which may be some kind of record for foreign jockeys in Korea. Here’s what’s happening when and where:
Friday April 20
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30
Saturday April 21
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:40 including the Selangor Turf Club Trophy at 16:40 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:20
Sunday April 22
Seoul Race Park: 10 races from 11:00 to 17:45 including the Owners’ Association Trophy at 16:15 Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:45
Horse Racing in Korea 