While Cheonnyeon Daero’s stunning last-gasp win in the Korean Derby was the big story of the weekend, there was plenty of other action with Gippeumnuri the star as she landed the Japan Racing Association Trophy.
Gippeum Nuri wins the JRA, Yoo Sang Wan up - Pic: Ross Holburt
As we reported on Saturday, the AJC Trophy and HRI Trophy races were won by Yeopungjudo and Cheot Insang respectively. Fallight now has the videos of both races:
AJC Trophy – Yeopungjudo
HRI Trophy – Cheot Insang
On Sunday, the warm-up act for the Derby was the JRA Trophy. Traditionally a race which features the best of the up and coming imports at Seoul, it was won in impressive style by third favourite Gippeumnuri. The three-year old American bred filly led from gate to wire to take victory by three lengths.
Gippeumnuri [Eurosilver – Regatta Queen (Danzig Connection)], third in February’s Segye Ilbo Stakes, now has a record of four wins from seven starts and looks a real force for the future:
The weekend ended on a downbeat note, however. The build-up to the Derby had been all about the showdown between Money Car and Northern Ace – with a likely cameo from Seonbongbulpae. While Money Car was being turned over by Cheonnyeon Daero in the final few metres – possibly as a result of Seonbongbulpae’s pressure in the opening stages – Northern Ace was nowhere to be seen.
Sensing something was wrong with his previously unbeaten mount, jockey Moon Se Young eased the colt in the home straight and, clearly distressed, immediately dismounted. The vet arrived and the diagnosis was not long coming; a fracture to his left foreleg and a potentially golden career cruelly curtailed.
Northern Ace pulled up after the Derby (Pic: Roar)
Money Car crashes out of Triple Crown in the last stride
Cheonnyeon Daero snatched away Money Car’s chances of sweeping the Triple Crown in the very last strides of the Korean Derby at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. Entering the final furlong, Money Car looked to be cruising to an easy victory until out of the pack emerged Cheonnyeondaero, who reeled in the tiring KRA Cup Mile champion, overtaking him inches away from the line.
Park Geum Man punches the air as Cheonnyeon Daero wins the Derby (Pic: Ross Holburt)
As expected Seonbongbulpae burst out of the gate like a train, beating Money Car for the early lead. Money Car tried to match him stride for stride and maybe paid for it in the later stages. nevertheless, as they turned for home, Seonbongbulpae began to weaken and Park Tae Jong steered Money Car into the lead. Entering the home straight, they had a length on the field.
By this stage it seemed a case of just how far they would win by and with a furlong to go, the gap was at least five lengths. Then came Cheonnyeon Daero. With two hundred metres to go it looked as though Money Car would be comfortable, by one hundred it was looking close, by fifty, punters were gasping in disbelief. The instant reaction was to question whether Park Tae Jong – the greatest Korean jockey of all time – had badly misjudged it. A look at the replay showed he had not. Money Car had simply run out of gas.
Behind them Dangdae Bulpae took a surprise third ahead of Triple Sinhwa. The sour note of the race was an injury to second favourite Northern Ace. Showing towards the front in the back straight, he looked poised to make a run. Dropping back on the final turn though it was clear he had nothing in him and jockey Moon Se Young sensibly opted not to ease him. Devastatingly, following the race a vet’s inspection showed a fractured forelimb.
So a Triple Crown winner is off the agenda for another year. Instead we have a clash of Classic winners to look forward to in October when this year’s best three-year olds reconvene for the Minister’s Cup. Cheonnyeon Daero – second in last year’s Busan Breeders’ Cup and third in this year’s KRA Cup Mile now heads this generation. This was only his third win but he had never been out of the money in ten previous starts. For both trainer Oh Moon Sik and jockey Park Geum Man the victory is by far the biggest in their careers.
Cheonnyeon Daero poses in the Winner's Circle, Matthew Lutz, COO of Breeders' Cup Ltd, is on the left (Pic: Ross Holburt)
Korean Derby (KOR.GI) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – May 16, 2010
1. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] – Park Geum Man – 28.9, 3.3 Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.1 Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] – Kim Eu Soo – 7.0
Distances: Neck/5 lengths
Also Ran: 4. Triple Sinhwa; 5. The Almighty; 6. Tamnaseontaek; 7. Gayabobae; 8. Seonbongbulpae; 9. Donghae Gangho; 10. Forest Wind; 11. Northern Ace; 12. Full Step
Derby day has dawned bright and sunny and racing is set to get underway at Seoul. At 5pm this afternoon, Money Car will attempt to land the second jewel of the Triple Crown as he goes in the 2010 Korean Derby.
He’s going to need to run better and faster than he ever has before if he is to win. Facing him for the first time is the undefeated Northern Ace who has won all his four races by impressive margins without ever being asked for an effort. This duel is one of the most hotly anticipated in Korean racing for years.
Also there will be Seonbongbulpae and although he will be less-fancied than the other two, he may play a big role in deciding the outcome. He will take on Money Car early and how the KRA Cup Mile winner responds to the unfamiliar challenge will be crucial. If he leaves his race on the first corner, Northern Ace could well be the beneficiary.
Then there are the Busan horses. Four colts are seeking to make it three straight derbies for the south. Cheonnyeondaero is better than his Cup Mile performance suggests while Triple Sinhwa was relatively unknown before being the horse that got closest to Money Car a month ago. “Closest”, however, was still eleven lengths away.
Korean Derby (KOR.GI) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – Sunday May 16, 2010 – 17:00
1. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] (5/2/1/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul 2. Gayabobae (KOR) [War Zone – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] (7/2/2/0) – Yang Hee Jin 3. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (6/4/0/0) – Kim Eu Soo 4. Seonbongbulpae (KOR) [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] (8/6/1/0) – Jo In Kwen 5. Forest Wind (KOR) [Capital Spending – Coffee Royale (Sword Dance)] (4/2/0/0) – Ham Wan Sik 6. Full Step (KOR) [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] (7/3/1/2) – Oh Kyoung Hoan 7. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] (10/2/5/2) – Park Geum Man 8. Northern Ace (KOR) [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] (4/4/0/0) – Moon Se Young 9. Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] (7/6/1/0) – Park Tae Jong 10. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (5/1/4/0) – Chae Gyu Jun 11. The Almighty (KOR) [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] (5/2/1/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho 12. Donghae Gangho (KOR) [Psychobabble – Nae Myeon (Somalia)] (14/2/1/3) – Kim Yong Geun
AJC and HRI Trophies kick-off Derby meeting at Seoul
The Derby meeting got underway at Seoul Race Park today and two “International Exchange” races topped the bill on a gloriously sunny afternoon.
There was a shock in the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) Trophy as 50/1 outsider Yeopungjudo led from start to finish to pull off an unlikely victory. The mare held off younger rival and favourite Isanghwa to claim the 80 Million Won first prize.
Yeopungjudo (9) holds off Isanghwa in the HRI (Pic: Ross Holburt)
For Yeopungjudo [Sharp Appeal – Yeoyu (Spectacular Spy)], it was just her third ever win from twenty-eight starts. Meanwhile her jockey Lee Sang Hyeok, who qualified in 2008, secured a first ever big race win.
Once the AJC was over, next up was the Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Trophy. While Mr Calgary was sent off the favourite. it was the horse second in the betting, Cheot Insang who came through the field under Ham Wan Sik to claim victory by half a length from the fast finishing Murim Cheogang. Cheot Insang [Psychobabble – Soma (Far Out East)] was recording his third win from twelve starts and has been in the money in his last six outings.
All smiles after the HRI Trophy (Pic: Ross Holburt)
Tomorrow sees the final International race – the JRA Trophy – and then it’s the big one. The 2010 Korean Derby comes under orders at 5pm.
Full results from Saturday’s meeting at Seoul to follow…
AJC & HRI Trophies on Saturday – JRA Trophy and the Derby on Sunday
The Derby is now less than two days away and it is, along with the Grand Prix, Korean racing’s biggest weekend of the year. See below for a full list of the Derby runners and riders and we’ll have a final preview on Saturday evening.
However, it’s not just the Derby this weekend. For the second consecutive year, the KRA has decided to combine its showpiece event with its traditional “International Exchange Races”. Saturday sees the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) and Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Trophies, while on Sunday the Japan Racing Association (JRA) Trophy precedes the Derby. These three races are some of the longest-establshed Stakes contests in Korea. Let’s take a look at this year’s editions:
Restricted to Korean bred fillies and mares at class three and below, the cream of Korean racing isn’t exactly on show here but it should be an entertaining contest nonetheless. A full field of fourteen is entered and Isanghwa is favoured to get the better of fellow four-year old Ruby. Beomtti, Victor Hunter, Sangju Miin and White Dreamer should also come into consideration.
Still for Korean bred class three and below, its open to colts too and Mr. Calgary could get the weekend off to a great start for jockey Jo In Kwen who rides Seonbongbulpae in Sunday’s Derby. He’ll have plenty of competition in a very open race. Cheotinsang is in good form, as is the improving Saebyeogi. A good case could be made for three-quarters of the fourteen strong field.
With Mr. Calgary & Seonbongbulpae, Jo In Kwen has a big weekend in store
We’ll have a preview of Sunday’s JRA Trophy tomorrow. Here’s what’s happening and where:
Saturday May 15
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:10 Jeju Race Park: 10 races from 12:10 to 17:50
Sunday May 16
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:10 Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30
Here are the runners and riders in Sunday’s Derby – we’ll have a final preview on the blog on Saturday evening:
Korean Derby (KOR.GI) – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – Sunday May 16, 2010 – 17:00
1. Tamnaseontaek (KOR) [War Zone – Every Michelle (Every Intent)] (5/2/1/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul 2. Gayabobae (KOR) [War Zone – Myeonggaheui (Revere)] (7/2/2/0) – Yang Hee Jin 3. Dangdae Bulpae (KOR) [Biwa Shinseiki – Indeed My Dear (Alydeed)] (6/4/0/0) – Kim Eu Soo 4. Seonbongbulpae (KOR) [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] (8/6/1/0) – Jo In Kwen 5. Forest Wind (KOR) [Capital Spending – Coffee Royale (Sword Dance)] (4/2/0/0) – Ham Wan Sik 6. Full Step (KOR) [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] (7/3/1/2) – Oh Kyoung Hoan 7. Cheonnyeon Daero (KOR) [Creek Cat – Doneitmyway (Northern Flagship)] (10/2/5/2) – Park Geum Man 8. Northern Ace (KOR) [Didyme – Telegraph Road (Royal Academy)] (4/4/0/0) – Moon Se Young 9. Money Car (KOR) [Newsprint – Pinocchio (Big Sur)] (7/6/1/0) – Park Tae Jong 10. Triple Sinhwa (KOR) [Capital Spending – Claudia’s Secret (Crafty Prospector)] (5/1/4/0) – Chae Gyu Jun 11. The Almighty (KOR) [Capital Spending – Dauntless Cat (Mountain Cat)] (5/2/1/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho 12. Donghae Gangho (KOR) [Psychobabble – Nae Myeon (Somalia)] (14/2/1/3) – Kim Yong Geun
* Thanks to Fallight and Roar for the video uploads.
Money Car bidding to be thirteenth winner of Korean Classic
The Derby is a relatively recent addition to the Korean racing year. Except for an enforced stoppage during the Korean War, racing has been running on the peninsula continuously since the 1920’s, however, the calendar as we know it today only really started to take shape in the 1980’s. The Ilgan Sports Cup and the Grand Prix started things off with both being run for the first time in 1985.
The introduction of the private ownership of race-horses – and therefore prize money – accelerated the creation of big Stakes races in the 1990s and finally in 1998, the Derby was run for the first time.
In the twelve editions run so far, seven colts and five fillies have taken the prize which for its first three years was run over just seven furlongs before moving up to its current nine in 2001. Here are those winners with pedigree and jockey:
2009: Sangseung Ilro [Concept Win – Ms. Whiskey (Whiskey Wisdom)] – Jo Sung Gon
– The filly, a shock winner of the KRA Cup Mile a month earlier made it two in a row for Busan. She couldn’t maintain her form over the whole year, however, and went down to a shock defeat in the Oaks in August before returning for a creditable third in the Minister’s Cup, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown in October.
2008: Ebony Storm [Buster’s Daydream – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] – Shim Seung Tae – Two years ago was the first time that Busan’s best three year olds were invited up to Seoul to contest the Derby and it was one of those visitors, Ebony Storm, the longest shot on the board, who took victory in a monsoon downpour.
2007: J.S. Hold [Ft. Stockton – Hwangsangjiljoo (Passetreul)] – Moon Jung Kyun – Widely considered the best Korean bred horse ever. J.S. Hold landed the inaugural Triple Crown injuring himself in the final race and not returning to the track. He is about to commence his first season of stud duties.
2006: Baengnokjeong[Slew O’Green – Lesu Run (Proper Reality)] – Hwang Soon Do – The rank outsider at over 80-1 on Derby day, Baengnokjeong was at the time, the longest priced horse to win the Derby.
2005: Saebyeok Dongja [Fiercely – Cheongpa (The Rodgers Four)] – Chun Chang Ki – Raced on at the top level for three more years and his jockey Chun Chang Ki became a trainer after a battle against cancer.
2004: Mupae Gangja [Didyme – A Heun A Hop Kan (Kinsky)] – Kim Hyo Seob – One of the top colts of this decade, Mupae Gangja won ten of his sixteen races including the Chairman’s Trophy and Minister’s Cup along with the Derby in 2004.
2003: Habidongju [Silent Warrior – Kahwa (Zoffany)] – Park Tae Jong – The last filly to win until Sangseung Ilro in 2009.
2002: Haeam Janggun [Didyme – Ronde (Toast The Champ)] – Lim Dae Gyu – Ronde foaled her second Derby winner in as many years with this filly who won eight of her fourteen races and gave the late Lim Dae Gyu a Derby victory.
2001: Haetpit Maeul [Mujaazif – Ronde (Toast The Champ)] – Ji Ha Ju – Starting a run of three consecutive years of filly triumphs was Haetpit Maeul. Now a broodmare with some success.
2000: Haekdol’pung [Lost Mountain – Swift Diplomacy (Nice Pirate)] – Park Tae Jong – Korea’s most successful ever jockey got his second straight Derby win on the favourite. It was tight though, with Haekdol’pung getting the verdict in a three way photograph.
1999: Manseokkkeun [Fiercely – Komplication (Kris. S)] – Park Tae Jong – Yes, he really did have three consecutive ‘k’s in his name. Park Tae Jong got the first of his three Derby winners on the colt whose sire, Fiercely, died in 2009.
1998: Useung Yegam [Happy Jazz Band – Man Jang Dae()] – Song Seok Hen – Nine of the 14 runners in the first Derby were fillies and the favourite Useung Yegam, whose dam wasn’t even in the studbook, took the honours by a length.
* For more videos see Fallight’s YouTube page. This post is a slightly updated version of the one posted on the corresponding pre-Derby Monday last year.
Blue Pin claimed his first ever class 1 victory in the feature event at Seoul Race Park this afternoon. The four-year old got the better of top mare and favourite Lucky Mountain at the end of the ten-furlong race.
Blue Pin is out of the mare Telegraph Road. Imported to Korea in 2006, she has foaled just one other runner to make the track so far. He is, of course, Northern Ace and will go for glory in the Korean Derby next Sunday.
Down at Busan, six-year old Boryeong Bulbit scored his first win for over a year as he beat favourite Viva Canon into second place in the nine furlong feature.
On Saturday, Angus Empire won the big race at Seoul. With Moon Se Young partnering him for the first time, the US bred six-year old was a dominant three length winner from Free Hugs and Noubeau Riche.
Angus Empire was one of three winners for Moon Se Young over the weekend. Fellow top jockey Cho Kyoung Ho also landed three but it was a good weekend for apprentices too with both Park Sang Woo and Kim Hae Sun recording winners on both Saturday and Sunday.
Apprentice Kim Hae Sun - 2 winners this weekend
So a low-key weekend comes to its conclusion but it really is the calm before the storm. We are now just seven days away from possibly the most heavily anticipated Korean Derby ever. Money Car, Seonbongbulpae and Northern Ace will be among twelve colts lining up at Seoul Race Park next Sunday. Full build-up begins tomorrow.
It’s almost the weekend and racing is back! Cards are mostly low-key with the Derby just a week away but a Classic winner will be in action at Busan on Friday in the shape of Namdo Jeap, while at Seoul Angus Empire and Lucky Mountain will be on show. Here’s what’s happening:
Friday May 7
Busan Race Park: 10 races from 12:00 to 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30
Saturday May 8
Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:20 to 18:00 Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:10 to 17:35
Sunday May 9
Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:20 to 18:00 Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:40 to 16:30
KRA Cup Mile Winner bidding for Triple Crown / Busan Sends Four
There will be four raiders from Busan and eight representing the home team at Seoul. With less than two weeks to go, twelve colts remain in contention for the 2010 Korean Derby which will be run at Seoul Race Park on Sunday May 16.
Last year’s Champion two-year old, Seonbongbulpae will be there, the unbeaten Northern Ace will be there. But it is Money Car, winner of the KRA Cup Mile and on course for the Triple Crown, that they all have to beat.
Money Car - Triple Crown hopeful
The Derby will cap a bumper weekend of racing. Just like last year, the KRA has designated it “International Weekend” and races sponsored by Horse Racing Ireland, the Australian Jockey Club and the Japan Racing Association will all be on the card.
We’ll have plenty more on the Derby as the day draws closer, but for now here’s the list of entrants with pedigrees and race records:
Busan based jockey Park Jae Ho has taken up a short-term license in Japan. Park has been granted a three-month license by the National Association of Racing (NAR) to ride at the Arao Racecourse where he will be sponsored by trainer Hikoji Sakatani. He can also ride at Saga Racecourse, both located in Japan’s southern island of Kyushu.
Park Jae Ho (Pic: KRA)
Although a solid rider, Park Jae Ho has never been one of Busan’s stars with just thirty-eight winners to his name. Able to speak Japanese, however, he befriended jockey Eiki Nishimura who spent 2009 riding at Busan and the Japanese rider encouraged Park to apply for a license after he himself returned to Arao this year.
Eiki had an up and down time in Korea. After a slow start, his big breakthrough came as regular rider of Sangseung Ilro, culminating in the filly’s shock win in the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Korea Triple Crown. However, winning the track’s richest race of the year earned him the ire of a number of local jockeys who declared that he – and South African Martin Wepner – were, in time-honoured fashion, taking “their money”.
Pressure applied by jockeys at Busan, and the powerful Seoul Jockeys’ Union led to trainer Kim Young Kwan dropping Eiki in favour of Jo Sung Gon for the Korean Derby last May, which Sangseung Ilro would go on to win. Wepner and more recently another talented visiting jockey Hitomi Miyashita, have continued to be a focus for local discontent.
Park made his debut at Arao last Thursday with four rides. His best finish was a third place in a race won by Eiki. All credit to him for seeking to broaden his experience. Let’s hope he doesn’t deprive the locals of their no doubt rightful money.
Both Chulgigi and Shaka have plenty of pictures and video of both Park Jae Ho and Arao Racecourse.
Horse Racing in Korea 