Can defending champion Winner’s Man become the first to successfully defend the Grand Prix since Dongbanui Gangja in 2008, 2009 and match 2018 hero Triple Nine’s five Group 1’s.
It’s the 41st Grand Prix Stakes at Seoul’s LetsRun Park, the traditional season finale and most prestigious event on the calendar, and is run over 2,300m as the longest race in Korean racing.
Already making a history of his own Winner’s Man swept the ‘Grand Slam’ of Korean Group 1’s when last month he added the President’s Cup to his Korean Derby, Korea Cup and Grand Prix.
With Winner’s Man now Korea’s all-time top money earner on ₩4,313 billion, AUS$4.8m, he’s looking to top Triple Nine with the 2018 Grand Prix and four President’s Cups from 2025 to 2018,
In also giving his jockey Seo Seung-un his 700 career success with the President’s Cup, he scored a run-away seven lengths over the Korea Deby and Minister’s Cup winner Global Hit in second.
With 2022 Champion Juvenile Speed Young ¾ length away in third, Winner’s Man made it a champion’s victory in being third into the home straight, before taking command at the 300m mark.
In drawing Barrier 2 for Sunday’s Grand Prix with all horses weighted on 57kg at weight-for-age, its Busan-based trainer Choi Ki-hong and owner Lee Gyeong-hui who meet Global Hit on 57kg.
In heading a field of 16 runners, Winner’s Man again meets the US-bred Tuhonui Banseok who he beat in the Korea Cup and Herald Business Cup this year, with jockey Park Jae-i from Gate 13.
However, the expertise of South African expatriate trainer Bart Rice cannot be dismissed as Tuhonui Banseok twice beat Winner’s Man earlier in the season in the YTN Cup and Mayor’s Cup.
In also making Winner’s Man’s historic success easier later in this season, is the absence of injured chief rival Raon The Fighter, who he defeated in both last year’s Grand Prix and Korea Cup.
Also absent is the President’s Cup fourth Simjangui Godong, who is in Dubal for the World Cup Carnival, with Korea Sprint second-placed Beolmaui Star also at Meydan for the Sprint events.
In fact, it’s the rise of jockey Kim Hye-sun who jumps Golden Hit from Gate 7 in the Grand Prix, who as the most successful female rider in Korean history won the Korea Derby on Golden Hit.
Also taking out the Minister’s Cup on Golden Hit she’s the first female to win the Korean Derby, and in 2017 the first to claim a Classic when 55/1 Jejui Haneul won the Korean Oaks at Busan.
Based in Seoul for the first nine years of her career from 2009, having her best season in 2016 with 49 wins from 570 mounts, Ms Kim moved to Busan in 2018, but was injured for some time.
Kim Hye-sun also took time off from race riding for maternity leave, as on 1 July 2020 she, with fellow husband jockey Park Jae-I, gave birth to the couples’ son, before she returned to racing.
With the 5yo Winner’s Man being by Korean campion sire Musket Man, winner of both the Illinois Derby and Tampa Bay Derby, he’s from the good winner Winner’s Marine, sired by Volponi.
In addition, Korean Derby winner Global Hit was also bred in Korea, being by the Cigar Mile winner To Honor and Serve, from stakes placed winner Tammy’s Victress, family of Spectacular Love.
