Busan Gyeongnam's First Championship Match: 'Dokki Blade' Rises as the Strongest Sprinter

by Kim Yongu

Published 01 Jul.2020 21:45(KST)

Updated 13 Aug.2025 21:23(KST)

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15th Busan Ilbo Cup Grand Race ... Last Year's Winner 'Gaon Champ' Defeated to Win

At LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam, the new short-distance champion horse "Dokki Blade" is crossing the finish line in the 15th Busan Ilbo Cup horse race.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] On June 28, a new sprint champion was born at the ‘15th Busan Ilbo Cup (Bukyeong 5 Race 1200m, 3 years old and above, Mixed OPEN)’ held at Korea Racing Authority’s LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam. The winning horse was ‘Dokki Blade’ with a race record of 1 minute 11.8 seconds.

Established in 2006 and marking its 15th edition this year, the Busan Ilbo Cup is the first gateway of the ‘Sprint Series’ which continues with the SBS Sports Sprint and Korea Sprint. It was the first graded race held at Busan-Gyeongnam Racing Park after the long horse racing suspension period due to COVID-19.

This year, strong contenders such as ‘Gaon Champ’, aiming for a second consecutive Busan Ilbo Cup victory, the emerging sprint star ‘Diamond Socks’, and Bukyeong’s rising star ‘Seobu Cat’ competed fiercely.

‘Dokki Blade’ (4-year-old male, rating 78, owner Kim Hyung-ran, trainer Park Dae-heung), partnered with jockey Kim Yong-geun, took the lead early with explosive speed. ‘Gaon Champ’ and ‘Seobu Cat’ followed closely, developing into a tight three-way battle.

Entering the home stretch, ‘Dokki Blade’ and ‘Gaon Champ’ fought fiercely for position, but with less than 50 meters to the finish line, ‘Dokki Blade’ showed a final burst of speed to cross the finish line first. ‘Gaon Champ’, ridden by jockey Monroe who won last year’s Busan Ilbo Cup, finished a close second.

With this Busan Ilbo Cup victory, ‘Dokki Blade’ overcame the disappointment of finishing second in the World Ilbo Cup held last January. Jockey Kim Yong-geun, who has been partnered with ‘Dokki Blade’ since its debut in 2018, said, “I was worried because all the horses in the race except Dokki Blade (Grade 2) were Grade 1.” He added, “I want to thank Dokki Blade for running hard and delivering this valuable victory.”