Baekjeonmupae held off strong late challenges from Pocketful Of Money and Angus Empire to take victory in the feature race at a frozen Seoul Race Park this afternoon.
It was a tenth win in total and second consecutively for the New Zealand bred Baekjeonmupae [Traditionally – Star Sixty Seven (Phone Trick)] who confirmed his return to form after a disappointing summer and he finishes the year with three wins from nine starts.
Hitting the front at the furlong pole, the five-year old, sent off as second favourite held on by a neck from Pocketful Of Money and Angus Empire with both horses finishing faster. Haengun Daewang and favourite Yodongseong were just a further half-length back in a blanket finish.
Two weeks after racing had to be abandoned due to a frozen track, horses and jockeys braved temperatures as low as -7C and most punters’ fingers had frozen over long before lunchtime.
There will be more shivering tomorrow as Seoul gets the first of eleven races underway at 11:10. Down at Busan, as ever they will be basking in temperatures of at least five degrees the right side of zero for their six race card which starts at 12:30.
The peninsula has been shivering several degrees below zero for the past few days and there’s no let up in sight as the weekend’s racing gets underway:
Busan Race Park
Friday December 18: 10 races, first post 13:00, last 17:30 Sunday December 20: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15
Seoul Race Park
Saturday December 19: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:30 Sunday December 20: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:55
Favourite Crushes Challengers Dongbanui Gangja produced a dominant performance to crush the rest of the Grand Prix field at Seoul Race Park this afternoon and in doing so, became only the third horse to retain the peninsula’s most prestigious race.
In a break from his usual patient style with the 2008 Champion, Choi Beom Hyun opted to take the race by the scruff of the neck in the back straight. After Ugildongja had made the early speed, Bally Brae headed for the front with Dongbanui Gangja on his shoulder. The favourite took the lead as they exited the third corner and from then on, the race was over.
As ever, he drifted to the centre of the track but the home straight was nothing more than a victory parade for Dongbanui Gangja who kicked on to win by a lazy six lengths. It could have been sixteen if jockey Choi had been so inclined.
The real battle was for second. Bulpae Gisang, winner of the Busan Metropolitan was considered to be his stablemate’s only real threat but in truth, he was in a different class. He did enough to hold off the late determined challenge of Gaeseon Janggun to take second place. Gaeseon Janggun, last year’s top Korean bred three-year old took third and had the honour of being both the best placed Korean horse and the first finisher from Busan.
Old favourite Bally Brae showed at the front in the back stretch, but his sprint legs are gone and he faded to sixth. The only filly in the race, Rolling On Strong, never featured and was eased up by Cho Kyoung Ho in the home straight.
An imposing physical presence, Dongbanui Gangja is a visually impressive animal. Big and muscular, yet handsome with it, he has a turn of speed of the type rarely seen on the Korean track. He now has ten straight wins and defeat doesn’t seem likely any time soon.
Bulpae Gisang is the second best foreign bred horse Seoul has to offer these days, while of the home-bred three-year old crop, the connections of Nice Choice and Yeonseung Daero declined Grand Prix spots, perhaps with Dongbanui Gangja’s presence in mind. Right now, it is difficult to see anything preventing him from completing an historic hat-trick this time next year.
Dongbanui Gangja in the Grand Prix Winner's Circle
Grand Prix (KOR. G.I) – Seoul Race Park – 2300M – Dec 13, 2009
1. Dongbanui Gangja (USA) [Broken Vow – Maremaid (Storm Bird)] – Choi Beom Hyun – 1.2, 1.0 2. Bulpae Gisang (USA) [Lightnin N Thunder – Neat Trick (Clever Trick)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.2 3. Gaeseon Janggun (KOR) [Duality – Diamond Star (Dixieland Band)] – Jo Chan Hoon – 1.9
Distances: 6 lengths/Head
Also ran: 4. Haengbok Dream; 5. King Kephalos; 6. Bally Brae; 7. Ugildongja; 8. Crafty Louis; 9. Yaho TS; 10. Rolling On Strong
The Grand Prix was the sixth and final race of the year to pit horses from Seoul against those from Busan. Busan ran out the winners by four race to two Tellingly though, Busan made a clean sweep of the Classics, involving horses born, bred, broken in and trained in Korea. Seoul’s two wins were both with imported horses. Dongbanui Gangja, the second of those, is on his way to securing his place as one of the greatest in Korean racing history.
Seoul Vs Busan Part 6
It’s the race that brings the curtain down on the racing season at Seoul – in theory anyway, in practice they’re racing again next weekend – and Dongbanui Gangja is set to become only the third horse to retain the prestigious Grand Prix at Seoul Race Park on Sunday afternoon.
The four-year old is unbeaten this year having won the Owners’ Cup as well as a selection of cherry-picked handicaps and goes in the odds-on favourite. He’ll have nine horses out to stop him, four from Seoul and five from Busan as the season long rivalry between the two tracks also reaches its conclusion.
Busan dominated the Classics, but Seoul won the only race open to older foreign bred horses, the Metropolitan at Busan last month. That winner, Bulpae Gisang, will likely be the biggest threat to his stablemate Dongbanui Gangja.
Bally Brae is back for his fourth Grand Prix having been second in 2006 and 2008 and a winner in 2007. The ever-popular gelding has struggled in his last two races but is re-united with champion jockey Moon Se Young for another assault on his favourite race.
The pick of Busan’s five entrants is Gaeseon Janggun, winner of the Minister’s Cup at Seoul last year and the only Korean bred horse in the race likely to be able to challenge the big guns from overseas.
Grand Prix (KOR. G.I) – Seoul Race Park – 2300M – Dec 13, 2009, 16:45
1. Yaho TS (USA) [Roar Of The Tiger – Propeller (Lear Fan)] C – 3 (15/4/1/1) – Seoul – Yoo Sang Wan
A first attempt at class 1, let alone a Grand Prix. Has potential, but shouldn’t trouble the placings.
2. Haengbok Dream (JPN) [Lammtarra – Sister Slew (Slew The Dragon)] C – 3 (11/4/4/2) – Busan – Hitomi Miyashita
Consistent and with an in-form jockey but would have to run better than ever before to place.
3. Bulpae Gisang (USA) [Lightnin N Thunder – Neat Trick (Clever Trick)] C – 3 (12/7/2/0) – Seoul – Park Tae Jong
Could be the one to challenge Dongbanui Gangja. Beat Busan’s finest last month and may have a surprise in store for his stablemate.
4. Bally Brae (USA) [Yarrow Brae – Political Bluff (Unaccounted For)] G – 7 (31/15/10/1) – Seoul – Moon Se Young
The grand old statesman of the Grand Prix, a Bally Brae victory would bring the house down. Hasn’t been right in his last two outings. If he’s better, he’ll challenge for a place.
5. King Kephalos (JPN) [King Glorious – Western Edge (Woodman)] G – 4 (19/8/3/3) – Busan – Yoo Hyun Myoung
A consistent winner and may enjoy the Seoul track. A chance of a place.
6. Ugildongja (KOR) [Dixie Dot Com – May Roses (Incinderator)] H – 5 (32/10/5/1) – Seoul – Ham Wan Sik
Third behind Baekgwang in October, Seoul’s only Korean representative looks outclassed here.
7. Rolling On Strong (USA) [Werblin – Gracie Gale (Opening Verse)] F – 3 (12/4/1/3) – Busan – Cho Kyoung Ho
The only filly in the race, this will be her first outing in top class company.
8. Gaeseon Janggun (KOR) [Duality – Diamond Star (Dixieland Band)] C – 4 (18/9/4/1) – Busan – Jo Chan Hoon
Last year’s Champion three-year old was second to Bulpae Gisang in the Metropolitan. He’s Korea’s best chance.
9. Crafty Louis (USA) [Louis Quatorze – Crafty Atlantic (Crafty Prospector)] G – 6 (34/13/4/2) – Busan – Jo Chang Wook
Has won three out of his last four and is one of Busan’s top handicappers.
10. Dongbanui Gangja (USA) [Broken Vow – Maremaid (Storm Bird)] C – 4 (21/14/4/2) – Seoul – Choi Beom Hyun
The odds-on favourite, Dongbanui Gangja is unbeaten since his Grand Prix win last year.
Seonbongbulpae was eased to victory in the Herald Business Cup at Seoul Race Park this afternoon and was crowned Champion Juvenile of 2009.
Backed into odds of 1/5, the colt built up a lead in the 6 furlong race and coasted through the home stretch under Park Tae Jong. There were nervous moments as the field came back at him but Park knew what he was doing and was able to hold them off for a half-length win.
It was the filly Hushtilled who came the closest. Finishing much the quicker, she edged out second favourite Full Step to take second.
With Northern Ace being scratched after the race was moved from last week to this, there remains a general feeling that race fans have been robbed of a potential epic. Nevertheless, seeing how this two-year old crop develop as three-year olds is something to look forward to.
Seonbongbulpae is now four for four and the time today was just a tenth of a second off the track record for a Korean bred horse.
Herald Business Cup – Seoul Race Park – 1200M – Dec 12, 2009
1. Seonbongbulpae [Newsprint – Jeseok (Lost Mountain)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.2, 1.0
2. Hushtilled [Distilled – Miss Alwuhush (Alwuhush)] – Moon Se Young – 2.0
3. Full Step [Didyme – Fox Dance (Foxtrail)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan
Distances: 0.5 lengths/0.75 lengths
Also ran: 4. Silver Mon; 5. Muhandeungguk
Sunday is the 28th running of the Grand Prix Stakes, the season ending race which in theory, clears up the matter of the year’s top thoroughbred in Korea. It’s one of the most valuable races on the calendar and also the longest running “name” race.
Whereas the Classics are restricted to Korean bred entrants, the Grand Prix is open to all. Indeed in the previous 27 editions, home-bred horses have ended up in the winner’s circle just three times. Fillies or mares have won the race five times with Ka Shock Do taking back-to-back wins in 1990 and 1991.
Dongbanui Gangja will be bidding to become the third horse to win in two consecutive years – along with Ka Shock Do, the great Po Gyeong Seon won the first two editions of the race in 1985 and 1986 – carrying 65kg in the latter.
2008: Dongbanui Gangja (USA)
2007: Bally Brae (USA) – Also has two second places to his name, in 2006 and 2008.
2006: Flying Cat (KOR)
2005: Subsidy (USA)
2004: Value Play (USA)
2003: Tempest West (USA)
2002: Bohamian Butler (USA)
2001: Tahamkke (NZ) – has gone on to become a moderately successful sire in Korea
2000: Cheolgeoun Party (KOR) – The only Korean bred filly to win.
1999: Saegangja (KOR)
1998: Sin Se Dae (AUS)
1997: P’Ulgeurim (NZ)
1996: Hula-Mingo (NZ)
1995: Dae Kyeun (AUS)
1994: Ji Goo Ryeok (AUS) – The first year prize-money was awarded, Ji Goo Ryeok’s connections took home 50 Million won. This year’s winner will receive 212 Million, slightly down on last year.
1993: Gi Peun So Sik (NZ)
1992: Chun Pung (NZ)
1991: Ka Shock Do (NZ) – With her second , she became arguably the greatest filly to run in Korea. In all, she won twelve of her thirteen starts.
1990: Ka Shock Do (NZ)
1989: Cha Dol (USA)
1988: Wang Bang Wool (AUS)
1987: Cheong Ha (AUS)
1986: Po Gyeong Seon (NZ) – with twenty wins from twenty-five starts, he is, along with Saegangja and J.S. Hold
1985: Po Gyeong Seon (NZ)
Choi Beom Hyun will be bidding to become just the second jockey to win the race twice. While the current top four of Choi, Moon Se Young, Cho Kyoung Ho and Park Tae Jong have all won the race once, only Lee Sung Il, who retired in 2005, has won twice.
The origin of the winners also shows the change in influence on Korean racing. Throughout the eighties and nineties, the vast majority of horses imported to Korea were from the Southern Hemisphere. This is reflected by Australian or New Zealand breds winning thirteen of the first sixteen runnings, compared with just one American. Since the turn of the century, the majority of imports have come from the USA and American breds have won six out of the last seven editions.
* Although this is the 28th running of the Grand Prix, Korean racing records officially only go back to 1985.
Apropos of nothing, here’s a run-down of Saturday’s card at Seoul Race Park:
Race 1: Super Missile (Number 4) should be favourite but for an outsider, look for Devils’s Win (No.7) to give Hitomi Myashita a win on her first ever ride at Seoul.
Race 2: Persona (No.6)
Race 3: Gaya Bobae (No.8)
Race 4: Blondie Queeca (No.3)
Race 5: Chandra (No.4) will likely be long odds-on favourite.
Race 6: Difficult to call but Jingyeok Bulpae (No.11) ran second last time and has Cho Kyoung Ho taking over in the saddle today.
Race 7: Ace Galloper (No.7) is likely to be another short-priced favourite.
Race 8: Ilgan Sports winner Khanui Jeguk (No.5) should return to winning ways.
Race 9: Triple Seven (No.7) was third in the President’s Cup but Hwangnyongsaji (No.4) is reunited with Moon Se Young and can get back in form.
Race 10: Seonbongbulpae (No.2) can only lose if he falls. In the absence of Northern Ace the quinella market is a little more open than it would otherwise have been but Full Step will be favoured to be leading the chasing group of four home – many lengths behind the winner.
Race 11: Jumong (No.6) will be fancied but he steps up to a class where Black Cat Dancin’ (No.2) has form
Race 12: Under the lights, Never Lose (No.1) shouldn’t.
The first race at Seoul is at 11:10 and the last is at 17:55. The feature race, the re-arranged Herald Media Cup is race 10 and is off at 16:45. It is forecasted to be a bright weekend with temperatures mercifully, the right side of zero.
Herald Business / Grand Prix
It’s Grand Prix weekend at Seoul and, after last week’s cancellation, the Herald Business is being run on Saturday. However, just five two year olds will line up for the juvenile championship and among the three who have dropped out during the week is Northern Ace. This leaves Seonbongbulpae as the overwhleming favourite to take the crown.
We’ll have a full preview of the Grand Prix over the next couple of days.
Busan Race Park
Friday December 11: 10 races, first post 13:00, last 17:30 Sunday December 13: 6 races, first post 12:30, last 16:15
Seoul Race Park
Saturday December 12: 12 races, first post 11:10, last 17:55 Sunday December 13: 11 races, first post 11:10, last 17:55
Jeju Race Park (Pony racing)
Saturday December 12: 10 races, first post 12:30, last 17:15 Sunday December 13: 10 races, first post 12:30, last 17:35
After being frozen out last Sunday, the Herald Business Cup, Seoul’s top Juvenile race, has been re-arranged for this coming Saturday, December 12 to create a big race double-header this weekend, what with the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Barring any late withdrawals, all eight who were scheduled to run last week will line-up on Saturday afternoon including the top pair of Seonbongbulpae and Northern Ace. Seonbongbulpae will be the likely favourite. Click here for last week’s preview.
Meanwhile,Chulgigi has a post up over at his blog showing the farcical scenes at Seoul Race Park last Sunday as seemingly the entire KRA, including Chairman Kim Gwang Won, strolled down the home straight looking for ice, nearly two hours after the first race was due to start. If only they’d done it earlier in the morning, they might have annoyed less people.
Icecapades - A Sunday stroll with the KRA (Photo: Chulgigi)
Horse Racing and photography go well together. Each year, Gyongmaman sets a resolution to get more pictures on this site. Next year, he will manage it. Perhaps. In the meantime, it is time to announce that the 2009 Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance Photo Contest is accepting entries.
The contest, in its second year, is open to absolutely anyone and the subject is simply “horse racing”. The only restriction is that the picture must have been taken this year.
Koreans like their cameras and Gyongmaman happens to know that some of the best photographers on the peninsula are occasional visitors to the track. The closing date is Sunday December 13, so just in time for local photographers to get plenty of shots of the Grand Prix to enter into this international contest.
Horse Racing in Korea 