By Alan Carasso
Prior to Sunday's running of the Keeneland Korea Cup (1800m) and Keeneland Korea Sprint (1200m), it had already been a banner year for locally based horses.
Dolkong (Afleet Alex) flew the flag for Korea at this year's Dubai World Cup Carnival with distinction, posting a smashing tally in the Listed Curlin H. ahead of a third placing–with future G1 Dubai World Cup repeater Thunder Snow (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) just ahead of him–in Round 3 of the G1 Maktoum Challenge. Racing in the peninsula nation took yet another massive forward step Sunday when Moonhak Chief (Pioneerof the Nile) and Blue Chipper (Tiznow)–each a Keeneland sales graduate–proved too strong in the Cup and Sprint, respectively.
Korea's champion 2-year-old of 2017, Moonhak Chief had yet to break through in the limited opportunities for local black-type wins, but was entering the Cup off a solid second behind Dolkong–runner-up in last year's Korea Cup–in the Owners' Cup down at Busan a little over two months ago. Drawn widest in the field Sunday, the 4-year-old was off the track rounding the first turn, but was asked for some speed at the 1200-meter mark and wrested command soon after. Cheongdam Dokki (To Honor and Serve), fourth last season, gave game chase, but Moonhak Chief had something left and maintained a safe margin to the wire. The Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Ambassadorial (Elusive Quality), a bargain purchase at Tattersalls earlier this year, was three and four wide the trip, but boxed on gamely to post the best finish on the day by a foreign invitee. Hong Kong's Glorious Artist (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) saved ground from gate one and kept on nicely to pick up a nice check in fourth. America's Harvey Wallbanger (Congrats) was sixth, while Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior) was 10th as the 13-10 favorite.
Blue Chipper was a warm item to become the first locally trained winner of the Sprint and did not disappoint. Drawn awkwardly in 13, the once-beaten gelding jumped right into the bridle and was able to cross down to the inside, where he had company in the form of the talented Gaon Champ (Kor) (Ecton Park). The two raced heads apart into the stretch, Gaon Champ refusing to go down without a fight, but Blue Chipper found that little bit extra in the final 100 meters to win clear. Dia Socks (Langfuhr) rallied up the fence to touch Gaon Champ out of second on the line. American sprinters largely struggled over the sandy surface, with Heartwood (Tapit)'s eight-place effort the best of three participants.
Moonhak Chief, the 26th black-type winner for his sire, hails from the female family of Jump Start and Miswaki and has a foal half-sister by Pioneerof the Nile's Taylor Made-based son Midnight Storm.
Blue Chipper, whose dam was successful in the 2010 GII Demoiselle S., descends from the same female family as champion 2-year-old Dehere and 'TDN Rising Star' Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}), who stands alongside his sire at Lane's End. Blue Chipper's 2-year-old half-sister, the Tracy Farmer-owned and Mark Casse-conditioned Humor Me Dixie (Distorted Humor), was third in an Ellis maiden special turf sprint in July and he has a foal half-brother by Candy Ride.
Sunday, Seoul, South Korea
KEENELAND KOREA CUP, W1,000,000,000 ($839,033), Seoul, 9-8, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:53.3, my.
1–MOONHAK CHIEF, 126, c, 4, Pioneerof the Nile–Talullah Lula
(GSP), by Old Trieste. 1ST STAKES WIN. ($37,000 RNA Ylg '16
KEESEP). O-Kwon Kyung Ja; B-White Fox Farm (KY); T-Kim Soon
Keun; J-Moon Se Young; W570,000,000. Lifetime Record: Ch.
2yo Colt-Kor, 19-10-3-3, W1,579,600,000.
2–Cheongdam Dokki, 126, g, 5, To Honor and Serve–Elusive
Gold, by Strike the Gold. ($20,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP).
O-Kimbyeongjin; B-Blue Heaven Farm LLC (KY); T-Luigi-
Salvatore Riccardi; J-Lim Gi Won; W210,000,000.
3–Ambassadorial, 126, g, 5, Elusive Quality–Tactfully (Ire), by
Discreet Cat. (20,000gns HRA '19 TATFEB). O/T-Jane Chapple-
Hyam; B-Darley (KY) J-David Egan; W130,000,000.
Margins: 2HF, 4, NK. Odds: 5.70, 13.60, 70.70.
Also Ran: Glorious Artist (Ire), Dolkong, Harvey Wallbanger, Baengmunbaekdap, King of Glory, New Legend (Kor), Lone Sailor, King of Ace. VIDEO
Sunday, Seoul, South Korea
KEENELAND KOREA SPRINT, W1,000,000,000 ($839,033), Seoul, 9-8, 3yo/up, 1200m, 1:11.1, my.
1–BLUE CHIPPER, 126, g, 4, Tiznow–Dixie City (GSW,
$231,980), by Dixie Union. ($95,000 RNA Ylg '16 KEESEP).
O-Choi Byeong-Bu; B-Diamond A Racing Corp (KY); T-Kim
Young Kwan; J-You Hyun Myung; W570,000,000. Lifetime
Record: 8-7-0-0, W1,097,250,000.
2–Dia Socks, 126, h, 5, Langfuhr–Royal Strategy, by Woodman.
($30,000 Ylg '15 FTKOCT). O-Kim Chang Sik; B-Henri & Stephan
Mastey (KY); T-Ji Yong Cheol; J-Moon Se Young;
W210,000,000.
3–Gaon Champ (Kor), 126, c, 4, Ecton Park–Ruby Queen (Kor),
by Badge of Silver. O-Kim Ki Jong; B-Park Dong Hun; T-An
Byung Ki; J-Lim Gi Won; W130,000,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 33.70, 16.00.
Also Ran: Spring Back, Final Energy (Kor), Doraonpogyeongseon, Global Captain, Heartwood, Wonder Bolt, Holy Legal (Brz), Today (Kor), Ace Korea, Ugly Warrior (NZ), Fast Pass, Bakoel Koffie (Ire), Pass the Vino (Ire). VIDEO
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