“Wonderful Fly” a Korea-bred race horse led by Jockey Moon Se-young is being congratulated for capturing the KRA Cup Mile at the 2019 Korean Derby held at Seoul Racecourse on May12 by a near record 13 lengthes. Chairman Kim Nak-soon, 4th L, of Korea Racing Authority leads the celebratory event at the race course. (Photo: KRA)

The 2019 Korean Derby was turned into a one-horse procession as Wonderful Fly got the jump on his rivals early and powered his way to win the nation’s top three-year-old race by a near-record 13-lengths at Seoul Racecourse on May 12.

While Global Chukje was sent off as a prohibitive favorite, the KRA Cup Mile winner was scarcely a factor. Breaking from an unfavorable gate he was wide the entire way around and could only run on for share of the minor money.

Wonderful Fly has similar bad luck with the draw down in Busan but from a perfect gate 5 this time, the result was never in doubt even if jockey Moon Se Young didn’t quite do as he was told.

“It wasn’t my instruction to lead.” said trainer Park Dae-heung, “I wanted to be close but not in front. But I trust this jockey. It turned out he was right.”

Most of the other pre-race fovorites such as True King and Glitter also struggled to play much of a role and so it was left to outsiders Simuangui Godong and Power Windy to fill out 2nd and 3rd, the latter coming from a seemingly tailed off last at the top of the stretch. They finished the race an entire two-seconds after the winner, however.

Wonderful Fly was a beneficiary of Thursday’s barrier draw, when he was allocated barrier five after having to jump from the outside in the KRA Cup Mile.

The Korean bred horse who ran an admirable seventh in the Busan feature, will be ridden by accomplished jockey Moon Se Young who replaces Lee Chan-Ho.

Wonderful Fly’s effort in the Listed Sports Seoul Cup, the start prior to the KRA Mile Cup was eye-catching when flooding home to finish a head behind the Oaks favorite Dae Wan Ma. With six of the fifteen runners engaged in the Derby coming out of the KRA Cup Mile, the main interest of the remaining runners lies with Do Kki Blade and True King.

Do Kki Blade produced a strong front-running performance in Class 4 company last start to win over 1700m.

Do Kki Blade’s rider Kim Yong Geun will be looking to employ the same early speed tactics after drawing barrier two. Trainer Park Dae-Heung, who saddles up both Wonderful Fly and Do Kki Blade, is excited about his chances of winning his first Korean Derby in a training career that, just like the race itself, is in its twenty-second year.

“The run of Do Kki Blade in the Breeder’s Cup was disappointing, but he wasn’t right, so he went for a wind operation,” Park Dae-Hung said. “His recovery wasn’t smooth but he’s back now, that win resuming was really good and he’s doing great.” Wonderful Fly made a good impression on Park Dae-Hung.

“We were really happy in the Sports Seoul Cup, so we went to the KRA Cup Mile but even though the wide draw really hurt him, he still ran well.”

“This week Wonderful Fly impressed me the most on Monday, but Do Kki Blade is right where we want him now.

Dominant KRA Mile Cup winner Global Chukje looks hard to beat as he lines up in the Group 1 Korean Derby on Sunday. The three-year-old son of Rock Hard Ten blitzed his rivals in the first leg of the Triple Crown, the KRA Cup Mile, beating the runner-up and Oaks fancy Dae Wan Ma by a staggering eight lengths.

Global Chukje has now won five of his six career starts and gave every sign with the dominant win that the 1800m distance on Sunday will be ideal.

Global Chukje’s trainer Choi Sang-Sik acknowledged at Thursday’s barrier draw the awkward gate will be a challenge.

“This is a really hard race and the start is going to be very competitive, so we’ll have to fight hard for a position.” Choi Sang-Sik told the Korea Racing Broadcasting Channel.