Busan

Weekend Preview

It’s actually been a rather pleasant week weather-wise on the peninsula and the first weekend of February is set to be the first weekend of the year where the temperature is above 0C.

Here’s what’s happening where and when:

Friday February 1

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday February 2

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday February 3

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:00

Weekend Preview: Tough Win, Gyeongbudaero Set For Season Debuts

We didn’t have to wait too long for the big boys to come out the barn and onto the track this year as several of the country’s most well-known horses make their 2013 debuts this weekend.

Tough Win is back

Tough Win is back

Chief among them is Tough Win (Yonaguska). Now a 6-year old, he failed to successfully defend his Grand Prix Stakes title last month but should really be back to winning ways on Sunday at Seoul.

He will, however, be giving 4 kilos to Nolbu Manse (Simon Pure), who also disappointed in the Grand Prix but is a Stakes winner and did finish ahead of Tough Win in the KRA Cup Classic. What should be an entertaining race over 1800 metres is one of co-features at Seoul on Sunday.

The other co-feature sees a return to the track after 6 months of rest for former Champion Filly & Mare Top Point (Tom Cruiser). The 9-year-old will need to be close to her old best though to beat a competitive field of 14 in a handicap which, like its partner feature, will also be run over 1800 metres.

Taking on the foreigners: Gyeongbudaero (Pic: KRA)

Taking on the foreigners: Gyeongbudaero (Pic: KRA)

Down at Busan, Gyeongbudaero (Menifee) is the first of last year’s Classic winners to make his 4-year-old debut. The KRA Cup Mile winner will take on a field of imported horses including consistent winner Viva Ace (Macho Uno).

Owner Jang Kwang Hwa also owns Yeonseung Daero and took a very similar approach with him when he reached 4 years old.

Korean bred horses receive a weight allowance when running against imports and, while Yeonseung Daero has won nowhere near the number of races he would most likely have done had he just raced his compatriots, he has had more than his fair share of success and his career has been a delight to watch. Hopefully we are in for more of the same with Gyeongbudaero.

Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday January 11

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 12:00 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:30 to 17:30

Saturday January 12

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:40
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:30 to 17:20

Sunday January 13

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:50 to 17:00

Yeonseung Daero Closes Out 2012 At Busan

Murphy Bows Out / Kim Yong Geun Stood-Down

If every horse in Korea was campaigned in the same way that Yeonseung Daero has been, the standard of the nation’s thoroughbred may just be a little bit higher.

Yeonseung Daero - (Pic: KRA)

Yeonseung Daero – (Pic: KRA)

The six-year old has won over US$ 1.5Million in prize money but it would surely have been higher were he not to almost always be put in against imported horses. You don’t have to be very good to win a race restricted to Korean bred entrants, however, the prize money is higher so there is little point going up against the (rather average but better trained) imports.

Of course, Yeonseung Daero’s owner can afford the luxury of being a sportsman – he has owned a string of top Korean horses including this year’s KRA Cup Mile winner Gyeongbudaero – and he doesn’t do it with all of them. Nevertheless, Yeonseung Daero’s career has been a joy to watch. Since completing his three-year old season, Yeonseung Daero has very rarely run in domestic company and he has more than held his own.

He had been without a win – without evene finishing in the money – since triumphing in the Listed Busan Ilbo Cup way back in February. However, today, Yeonseung Daero (Creek Cat) was right back in form, swooping late to deny three-year old US colt Grand Distinction (With Distinction) in the final few strides of the first of Busan’s co-feature race with Haengbok Dream (Lammtarra) also in close-attendance in third.

Yeonseung Daero has now won 17 of his 46 career starts. No doubt he’ll continue to compete in 2013.

Closing day for 2012 at Busan saw what was for the track, an unrecedented 14 race card. It was also the last day training in Korea for American Joe Murphy. His horse Atanarjuat was scratched out of the finale, so his last runner was filly Uddukseon, who finished 7th of 14 in race 10.

A 50/1 outsider finishing in the middle of the field perhaps describes Murphy’s time at Busan perfectly although to be fair to the trainer, he has had very little ammunition in his barn during his two years here nor has he had the original amount of time he understood he would have – and felt was required – to turn things around.

There was also more depressing news off the track as it emerged that Busan’s newly crowned Champion Jockey Kim Young Geun has been stood down pending investigation into possible breaches of racing’s integrity rules. More on this, and on Murphy’s last day, later this week.

A mixed ending to the year then. We don’t have to wait long to get going again though. Racing returns next weekend, with the feature being the New Year’s Commemorative Stakes at Seoul.

Weekend Preview: Busan & Jeju Only

There’s no racing in Seoul as Busan takes centre stage on the last weekend of 2012. Just like last week, the only racing in Korea on Friday is the ponies on Jeju Island as Busan runs a short 6 race card on Saturday and then a bumper 14 race program on Sunday.

Busan Racecourse can be a lonely place, but it's the only place to be for thoroughbred racing in Korea this weekend

Busan Racecourse can be a lonely place, but it’s the only place to be for thoroughbred racing in Korea this weekend

A few of Busan’s bigger names will be on show across the weekend. 2008 Korean Derby winner Ebony Storm, still going strong as a seven-year old, goes on Saturday, while multiple Stakes winner Yeonseung Daero makes an appearance in one of Sunday’s co-features. A host of up and coming tw-year olds, both Korean-bred and imported, will also be on show both days.

This weekend also sees American trainer Joe Murphy bow out of Korea after a challenging two years. Murphy will saddle his last runner when six-year old Atanarjuat goes in Sunday’s last race.

Friday December 28

Jeju Race Park: 12 races from 12:00 to 18:00

Saturday December 29

Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:30 to 17:30
Jeju Race Park: 8 races from 11:00 to 17:00

Sunday December 30

Busan Race Park: 14 races from 11:00 to 17:50

Yapung Leads Home A Menifee Trifecta In Breeders’ Cup

Yapung’s late charge saw him claim Champion Juvenile status by winning the Breeders’ Cup Stakes, the nation’s top race two-year olds at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

The colt, who had to come through heavy traffic before grinding down the field in the home straight, led home a one/two/three for his sire Menifee who has not only already been crowned Champion sire of this year, now looks set to be so for the foreseeable future too.

For the second week in a row in a Stakes race at Seoul there were ugly scenes. This time it was Kim Hae Sun on outsider Storm Music, who was responsible for starting a chain of events that ultimately saw Jo In Kwen unseated from Rapide Bullet in the back straight. Like Cho Kyoung Ho last week, jockey Kim finds her season prematurely ended by the stewards.

Yapung was able to avoid the trouble but still had plenty of work to do in the final two furlongs. Under Park Geum Man, he managed to find plenty and the manner of his acceleration suggests that there will be plenty more to come from him as a three-year old next year.

Sire Menifee is now responsible for almost twice as much prize money than his nearest rival, 2011 champion sire Exploit. The sixteen year old stallion fell critically ill earlier this year and required a team of vets to be flown in to save him. Even with foals from the likes of Ecton Park, One Cool Cat and Officer soon to hit the track, Menifee is undoubtedly by far and away the KRA’s top breeding asset.

Breeders’ Cup (KOR G3) – Seoul Race Park – 1300M – November 25, 2012

1. Yapung (KOR) [Menifee-Wild Life (Wild Again)] – Park Geum Man – 5.3, 1.5
2. K Tap (KOR) [Menifee-Summit Party (Ecton Park)] – Park Tae Jong – 1.1
3. Fantastic Jazz (KOR) [Meniffe-Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] – Kim Yong Geun – 2.0

Distances: 1.5 lengths/1 length – 10 ran

In other news this weekend, there was a maiden victory for two-year old gelding My Key (Macho Uno-Worldly Pleasure) at Busan on Friday. My Key is a half-brother to US champion racehorse Game On Dude, through their dam, Worldly Pleasure.

Worldly Pleasure was purchased by Jeju Island’s Nokwon Farm in December 2009 while she was in foal to Macho Uno but before Game On Dude started winning big races in the US. Just before the 2011 Breeders’ Cup (the real one, not the pretend one we had at Seoul today) she was sold on to Japan’s vast Shadai operation in exchange for a number of broodmares and a sizable wad of Yen.

While at Nokwon she was covered by Volponi and the resulting colt is now a yearling. Meanwhile, the result of her liaison with Macho Uno was My Key and here he is winning by an impressive 11 lengths on Friday:

Tough Win Leaves It Too Late As Sing Sing Cat Pounces On KRA Cup Classic

Grand Prix Champion suffers rare defeat at Seoul while filly Pureun Energy wins Busan Juvenile Prize

Tough Win was given far too much to do in the home straight as Sing Sing Cat ran away with the KRA Cup Classic on a gorgeous autumn afternoon at Seoul Race Park today.

SIng Sing Cat and Lee Sang Hyeok in the KRA Cup Classic winner’s circle

Grand Prix champion, number one horse in Korea and long odds-on favourite, Tough Win (Yonaguska) was, as has been normal in his recent races, sent straight to the back of the field. Meanwhile Ace Galloper (Chapel Royal), winner of this race last year, made the running with Sing Sing Cat (D’Wildcat) close behind.

Generally Tough Win quickens at the end of the back straight, this time, however, jockey Cho Kyoung Ho didn’t ask the five-year old to begin improving his position until they came off the final corner meaning he had to go right around the field to get a run. While he made up 11 places and more than 25 lengths in the home straight, Sing Sing Cat was travelling too well to be caught and held on to win by a length.

Three-year old Nolbu Manse also managed to resist Tough Win, although had the race been a few metres longer – or had the favourite been asked to improve a little earlier – things could well have been very different.

Sing Sing Cat [D’Wildcat-Freddy Fenter (Fenter)], a four-year old colt, moves on to 9 wins from 20 starts and puts himself right into contention for the season ending Grand Prix in December. Tough Win will no doubt be back that day although different tactics will be needed if he is to avoid another ignominious defeat.

KRA Cup Classic (KOR G3) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – Sunday October 21

1. Sing Sing Cat (USA) [D’Wildcat – Freddy Fenter (Fenter)] – Lee Sang Hyeok – 8.3, 1.8
2. Nolbu Manse (USA) [Simon Pure – Reason To Fear (Kris S)] – Ham Wan Sik – 1.6
3. Tough Win (USA) [Yonaguska – Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 1.1
Distances: 1 length/0.75 lengths – 14 ran

Down at Busan, the first of the year-end Juvenile championship races got underway in the form of the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup. And there was a surprise as 14/1 shour Pureun Energy (Menifee), one of only two fillies in the race scored a narrow victory.

Last year’s winner Gyeongbudaero went on to win one Classic and finish second in another. Pureun Energy may or may not live up to that, however, in the short-term, she has won herself a spot in the Breeders’ Cup at Seoul next month where she will race for overall champion juvenile honours.

Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – 1200M – October 21

1. Pureun Energy (KOR) [Menifee – Cheongsan Ilho (Nediym)] – Lim Sung Sil – 14.0, 3.0
2. Yapung (KOR) [Menifee – Wild Life (Wild Again)] – Park Geum Man – 2.7
3. Fantastic Jazz (KOR) [Menifee – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] – Kim Yong Geun – 1.3
Distances: Head / 1 length – 10 ran

Weekend Preview: Tough Win Headlines KRA Cup Classic While Top Juveniles Face Off At Busan

Tough Win, Jumong, Haedongcheonwang in Cup Classic / Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup at Busan

It’s a big weekend of Stakes action in Seoul as Seoul’s best horses compete against one another in the KRA Cup Classic, while down at Busan, the end of season Juvenile championship races get underway in the shape of the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup.

Tough Win heads the KRA Cup Classic (KRA)

In the Classic, current Grand Prix Stakes champion Tough Win will face arguably his two greatest rivals – at least from Seoul. He saw off both Jumong and Haedongcheonwang when the three of them met under handicap conditions in early September and, while the three-year old Haedongcheonwang can be expected to show improvement, an on-form Tough Win should still have too much for both of them again.

With the outstanding Smarty Moonhak’s career still hanging in the balance as he undergoes stem-cell treatment for tendonitis, his sire, Smarty Jones is represented in the Classic after all as four-year old Es Four, newly graduated to Class 1, takes his chance with the best.

Here is a full run-down of the runners and riders, with pedigree, age and race records:

KRA Cup Classic (KOR G3) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – Sunday October 21, 16:20

1. Captain Cugat (AUS) [King Cugat – Shiva Angel (Marauding)] 8 (42/5/6/1) – Kim Ok SUng
2. Cheonnyeon Dolpung (NZ) [Sakura Seeking – Firenza (Val D’Arno)] 6 (24/2/5/2) – Lee Gi Woong
3. Tough Win (USA) [Yonaguska – Maggie May’s Sword (Sword Dance)] 5 (23/18/2/0) – Cho Kyoung Ho
4. Es Four (USA) [Smarty Jones – Golden Honor (Mr. Prospector)] 4 (21/4/2/3) – Yukio Abe
5. Gippeun Sesang (CAN) [Behrens – Bellus (Saint Ballado)] 6 (50/4/4/4) – Choi Bum Hyun
6. Sing Sing Cat (USA) [D’Wildcat – Freddy Fenter (Fenter)] 4 (19/8/3/1) – Lee Sang Hyeok
7. American Revival (USA) [Put It Back – American Saint (Saint Ballado)] 4 (28/3/3/1) – Jung Pyeong Soo
8. Berongi (USA) [Action This Day – Hot Match (Mr. Prospector)] 3 (12/3/4/0) – Lee Dong Kug
9. Ace Galloper (KOR) [Chapel Royal – Explicitly (Exploit)] 5 (27/17/6/1) – Shin Hyoung Chul
10. Tiger Wing (USA) [Repent – Tiger’s Missy (Tiger Ridge)] 4 (20/4/1/3) – Jamg Chuyoul
11. Haedongcheonwang (USA) [West Acre – Sienna’s Honor (Honor Grades)] 3 (9/6/3/0) – Park Tae Jong
12. Jumong (USA) [Johar – Foreign Aid (Danzig)] 5 (32/9/7/6) – Jo In Kwen
13. Nolbu Manse (USA) [Simon Pure – Reason To Fear (Kris S)] 3 (14/5/2/3) – Ham Wan Sik
14. Moby D (USA) [Unbridled Energy – Southern Breeze (General Royal)] 4 (9/2/3/1) – Lee Gi Hweoi

Meanwhile at Busan, the track’s top juveniles meet for the first time in the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup. The best performers will qualify for the Korean Breeders’ Cup at Seoul next month when they will face the top two-year olds from the capital.

Last year’s winner Gyeongbudaero didn’t go on to win the Breeders’ Cup but he did train on as a three-year old, winning the KRA Cup Mile, the first leg of the Triple Crownn in April, and coming third in the final leg, the Minister’s Cup, just last week.

Menifee, who is streets ahead in the leading sire race this year, accounts for five of the ten entries. Fantastic Jazz, a half-brother of 2008 Korean Derby winner Ebony Storm (who, now a gelding, and still running at the top-level will be running a race later) goes into the race unbeaten from three starts.

Here are the runners and riders with pedigrees and race records. As per Triple Crown rules, all are Korean bred:

Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup – Busan Race Park – 1200M – October 21, 15:50

1. Rising Joy [Forest Camp – Joy Ride (Future Quest)] (4/1/2/0) – Jo Sung Gon
2. Long Speed [Commendable – Speed Bag (Abaginine)] (3/1/1/0) – Lee Hee Cheon
3. Choesin Mujeok [Forest Camp – Geumseong (Psychobabble)] (2/2/0/0) – Kim Young Min
4. Yapung [Menifee – Wild Life (Wild Again)] (4/2/1/0) – Park Geum Man
5. Pureun Energy (filly) [Menifee – Cheongsan Ilho (Nediym)] (3/1/2/0) – Lim Sung Sil
6. Fantastic Jazz [Menifee – Sorority Jazz (Dixieland Band)] (3/3/0/0) – Kim Yong Geun
7. Jeongsang Jeongbok [Menifee – Benbane Head (Giant’s Causeway)] (5/2/0/1) – Song Keong Yun
8. Gangjaui Miso [Volponi – Watch Me Raw (Encosta De Lago)] (2/1/0/1) – You Hyun Myung
9. Global Gangja [Pico Central – Gosokcheol (Big Sur)] (4/3/0/0) – Choi Si Dae
10. Miss Quick [Menifee – Regal Heir (Regal Intention)] (2/1/0/0) – Kanichiro Fujii

It’s going to be a busy weekend. Here’s what’s happening when and where:

Friday October 19

Busan Race Park: 11 races from 11:50 to 18:00
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 13:45 to 17:40

Saturday October 20

Seoul Race Park: 12 races from 11:00 to 17:45
Jeju Race Park: 9 races from 12:20 to 17:10

Sunday October 21

Seoul Race Park: 11 races from 11:00 to 18:00 including the KRA Cup Classic at 16:20
Busan Race Park: 6 races from 12:15 to 16:45 including the Gyeongnam Sinmun Cup at 15:50

Another Perfect Moment For Jigeum I Sungan

Derby Winner Beats Oaks And Cup Mile Winners To Land Third Leg Of Triple Crown

Jigeum I Sungan secured the final leg of the Korean Triple Crown in emphatic fashion at Seoul Race Park this afternoon and in doing so, assured himself of the title of Champion three-year old of 2012.

Their moment: Jigeum I Sungan and Moon Se Young return after winning the Minister’s Cup

The Korean Derby winner beat out the Oaks winning filly Rising Glory and KRA Cup mile winning colt Gyeongbudaero to win the Minister’s Cup by four lengths and become the first horse since the Triple Crown winning J.S.Hold in 2007 to win both the Derby and the Minister’s Cup.

Sent off as the 2/1 favourite, Jigeum I Sungan – “This is the Moment” in English – was kept in the middle of the pack for the first half of the 10 furlong race. Jockey Moon Se Young asked the Derby winner to improve around the home turn and as the entered the home straight, all the big contenders were massing.

Jigeum I Sungan and Moon Se Young in the winner’s circle

Gyeongbudaero was on the inside under Joe Fujii and Nobel Pokpung, a fast finishing second in the Derby looked poised to strike under Gerrit Schlechter on the outside.

They had nothing on Jigeum I Sungan though who accelerated away for an untroubled win. Oaks winner Rising Glory finished fast down the outside to grab second place, a neck in front of Gyeongbudaero.

So things ended as they should. The Derby winner finishing first, the Oaks winner second and the KRA Cup Mile winner third. Today, however, Jigeum I Sungan was best in all departments.

Further clashes look likely and it will be fascinating to see if he is ready to take on the likes of Dangdae Bulpae in the President’s Cup in a month’s time. Even with the weight advantage that he’ll have, it may be a little too early.

For jockey Moon Se Young, it was another golden day following his win in the Singapore Turf Club Trophy yesterday. It was his second Minister’s Cup, having won the 2004 edition on Mupae Gangja.

Jigeum I Sungan is the first Seoul-based horse to win the Minister’s Cup since J.S. Hold in 2007. Gaeson Janggun in 2008, Namdo Jeap in 2009, Dangdae Bulpae in 2010 and Dongseo Jeongbeol in 2011 were all trained at Busan.

Jigeum I Sungan is the first of his until now unfashonable Japanese bred sire Ingrandire (White Muzzle) to become a big star on the track. Ingrandire was imported to Korea in 2006. The winner’s dam, Solmaru (Mujaazif) finished third in the Korean Oaks in 2003. Her four previous foals all went onto win.

The 2007 edition turned out to be J.S. Hold’s last race. Jigeum I Sungan isn’t in his class just yet, but on today’s evidence, he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch in future.

Minister of FAFF Stakes (KOR G2) – Seoul Race Park – 2000M – Sunday October 14, 2012

1. Jigeum I Sungan (KOR) [Ingrandire – Solmaru (Mujaazif)] – Moon Se Young – 2.9, 1.3
2. Rising Glory (KOR) [Menifee – Straight Cash (Straight Man)] – Jo Sung Gon – 4.3
3. Gyeongbudaero (KOR) [Menifee – Princess Lanique (Cherokee Run)] – Kanichiro Fujii – 1.5

Distances: 4 lengths/Neck
Also ran: 4. Naejangsan 5. Wonderful Namhae 6. Fine Fine 7. Nobel Pokpung 8. Myeongun Jewang 9. Royal Galloper 10. Alpha Myeongjang 11. Chowon Yeoje 12. Tongjesa 13. Himchan Jilju 14. Gumanseok

Long Shot Yeouiju Takes Donga Ilbo Stakes

Sydney Jewelry on target again / Schlechter and Fujii score at Busan

20/1 outsider Yeouiju upset the favourites to take a narrow victory in the 16th edition of the Donga Ilbo Stakes at Seoul Race Park this afternoon.

Yeouiju and Oh Kyoung Hoan in the Donga Ilbo Winner’s Circle

The four-year old filly got the best of a tight finish to claim the prize ahead of fellow unfancied runners Chowon Yeoje and Cheondungbeonjjeok in the nine-furlong all filly and mare Stakes race.

Yeouiju now has four wins from eighteen career starts while it was a fifth Stakes victory for trainer Woo Chang Gu and a ninth for jockey Oh Kyoung Hoan who won this race last year riding Sen Girl.

Donga Ilbo Stakes – Seoul Race Park – 1800M – September 23, 2012

1. Yeouiji (KOR) [Revere – Chayu Mankkik (Pro For Sure)] – Oh Kyoung Hoan – 21.6, 4.4
2. Chowon Yeoje (KOR) [Forest Camp – Navigation (Big Sur)] – Cho Kyoung Ho – 3.3
3. Cheondungbeonjjeok (KOR) [Capital Spending – Whosis (Trempolino)] – Yoo Seung Wan – 4.3

Distances: 0.5 lengths/Nose – 14 ran

In other races at Seoul, there was another impressive win for young Aussie import Sydney Jewlery (Lion Heart-Rivendelle. The three-year old landed his fifth victory in eight career starts by taking out the 1900 metre race 10 in style.

Hitting the front on the home turn, Sydney Jewelry stretched away for a six length win in the class 2 handicap to confirm his position as one of the most exciting imports of the year.

It may be slightly too late for him to make the big end of season races – although he will surely be on the ballot paper for the season ending Grand Prix Stakes (in which the runners have to be voted in by the punting public) but if he stays sound, next year he surely will be.

Down at Busan, US four-year old Viva Ace (Macho Uno-Dancing Lake) led from gate to wire to win the feature race while earlier in the card there were wins for jockeys Gerrit Schlechter and Joe Fujii.

South African Schlechter won race 1 on debut making filly Fine Gongju (Tiz Wonderful) while Japanese rider Fujii was on target in race 3 on Marina’s Boy (Ecton Park) which, owned by Isidore Farm and trained by Peter Wolsley, was pretty much a 100% foreign winner.

Racing in Korea takes a break next weekend for the Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) holiday and returns on October 5.