G3 OBS Korea Cup and G3 OBS Korea were incorporated into the Breeders' Cup

In a historic first, the G3 OBS Korea Cup and G3 OBS Korea Sprint were incorporated into the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, granting winners automatic entry into the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, respectively. This marked the debut of the defending champions from both races returning to Seoul and claiming victory for the second consecutive year, further solidifying their status as formidable competitors at Del Mar, should their connections decide to make the journey.

Teruya Yoshida's Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}), the 2022 G3 UAE Derby victor and participant in that year's GI Kentucky Derby, dominated the 2023 Korea Cup by a resounding 10 lengths over Gloria Mundi (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}). Despite his impressive win, Crown Pride was the second choice at 21-10 on Sunday, following Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), who finished fourth in the G1 Dubai World Cup in March and was the 1-2 favourite on race day.

Ridden by Takeshi Yokoyama from gate 11, Crown Pride established a commanding pace, clocking the first 1200 meters in 1:14.4 over the deep, sandy track, and appeared unassailable as Wilson Tesoro attempted to close the gap in the final stages. Meanwhile, Korea's Global Hit (Kor) (To Honor and Serve), who was eighth as a 3-year-old last year, finished a commendable third, though still trailing significantly.

This victory marks the fourth time Japanese horses finished first and second in the Korea Cup since its inception in 2016, with Crown Pride becoming the second horse after London Town (Jpn) (Kane Hekili {Jpn}) to win back-to-back titles.

"I was thrilled to be asked to ride, and I’m glad to have achieved this result with such a strong horse," Yokoyama shared with Netkeiba. "I aimed to maintain his rhythm, which allowed us to position ourselves as we did smoothly. It was a great day."

Also competing was Koji Maeda’s Remake (Jpn) (Lani), who had previously triumphed over the talented Skelly (Practical Joke) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in February. After a fourth-place finish behind the impressive Tuz (Oxbow) in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 30, Remake was heavily favoured at 20 cents on the dollar as the clear frontrunner in the Korea Sprint. Settling mid-pack, he steadily moved up as the front-runner, Jasper Krone (Frosted), engaged with the Doug O'Neill-trained Anarchist (Distorted Humour). Ultimately, Yuga Kawada steered Remake into full throttle, allowing them to surge ahead and win with energy to spare.

"Since last year, we have dedicated ourselves to aiming for the Breeders' Cup. I hope we can win this, return to Japan, and prepare for the United States, ensuring we secure our place and can perform well at the Breeders' Cup," Kawada expressed to Netkeiba.

Results Summary:

Sunday, Seoul, South Korea 

OBS KOREA CUP-G3, ₩1,600,000,000 ($1,193,760)

1. CROWN PRIDE (JPN), 126, h, 5, Reach the Crown (Jpn) 

2. Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Kitasan Black (Jpn) 

3. Global Hit (Kor), 126, c, 4, To Honor and Serve 

Margins: 5, 5, 3. Odds: 2.10, 0.50, 12.20. 

Sunday, Seoul, South Korea 

OBS KOREA SPRINT-G3, ₩1,400,000,000 ($1,044,540)

1. REMAKE (JPN), 126, h, 5, Lani 

2. Jasper Krone, 126, h, 5, Frosted 

3. Anarchist, 126, h, 5, Distorted Humor 

Margins: 2, 6, HF. Odds: 0.20, 13.90, 8.60.