Crown Pride claims second Korea Cup

For the second consecutive year it was the Teruya Yoshida owned Crown Pride who defended his $1.2m OBS Korea Cup title with a dominant 5 length win at the Seoul Let’s Run Park.

And, now its Crown Pride who gains automatic entry in to the $1m Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, being through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series ‘Win & You’re In,’ for Del Mar.

With the Breeders’ Cup World Championship ever expanding, it’s not only Crown Pride who travels to Del Mar on 1,2 November, its Remake for Breeders’ Cup Sprint for the Korea Sprint.

Crown Pride simply had the field chasing, as in taking an early lead in Sunday’s Korea Cup, he started from the outside in the 11 horse field, and lead from Korean’s Vics Go and Winners Man.

Setting the pace along the back stretch, he was 5 lengths clear on entering the home straight, with fellow Japanese and odds-on favorite Wilson Tesoro making some ground to the finish.

The local Global Hit was 5 lengths away in third, and running 1-52.80 for the 1800m on a sand dirt track, Crown Pride has six wins from 17 starts, winning last year’s Korea Cup by 10 lengths.

Ridden by Takeshi Yokoyuma for trainer Koichi Shintani, he is coming off victory in the Mercury Cup of 2000m at Moriko, he is no stranger to travelling having won the UAE Derby at Meydan.

In receiving Win You’re In’ entry into the 2022 Kentucky Derby, he finished 13 of 20 to Rich Strike in the Run to The Roses at Churchill Downs, having won both his starts over 1800m as a 2yo.

Ridden by Takeshi Yokoyama for trainer Koichi Shintani, he now a 5yo bred by his owner’s Shadai Farm, sired by Yomiuri Milers Cup winner Reach The Crown, from dirt winner Emmy’s Pride.

With this Breeders’ Cup World Championships being held on 1,2 November at Del Mar, its the Korea Cup and Korea Sprint that are the first two Korean Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races.

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions, and it’s Japan’s Remake who won the $1m OBS Korea Sprint.

Now with a ‘Win & You’re In’ for the $2m Breeders’ Cup Sprint of 6 furlongs, the race favorite Remake came off-the-pace in a field of 15 starters, and scored by 2 lengths for owner Koji Marda.

In scoring back-to-back victories in the OBS Korea Sprint for trainer Koichi Shintani, it was fellow Japanese Jasper Krone and Anarchist who battled up-front throughout the first 600 meters.

While Remake saved ground along the rail, it was turning for home that Jasper Krone skipped away for a 5-length lead, but it was Remake under jockey Yuga Kuwada, gathering momentum.

Charging down the center of the track, and passing Anarchist, he then surged past Jasper Krone with 100 meters remaining to claim the victory, making it a repeat victory in the Korea Sprint.

Running 1-10.30 for the 6 furlongs, he’s won 9 of 18 starts, including the Saudi Arabia Riyad Dirt Sprint in February, with this win his first since being fourth in the Golden Shaheen at Meydan.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders’ Cup pay entry fees for the Crown Pride to start in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and Remake in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

The Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.