Historic First in Korean Horse Racing: Owner Lee Jonghun Achieves Unprecedented 300 Wins

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, former football manager Alex Ferguson, and film director Steven Spielberg.

At first glance, these individuals may seem unrelated, but what do they have in common? The answer is that they were all horse owners who loved horses and horse racing.

Queen Elizabeth II was active as a horse owner for over 30 years, earning more than 10 billion won in prize money from horse racing. In her youth, the Queen participated as an amateur jockey and, as an owner, personally awarded the winner of the Epsom Derby at the Royal Ascot Racecourse in the UK.

Winston Churchill, who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, once said, "I would rather be the owner of a Derby-winning racehorse than the Prime Minister of England," highlighting the honor he placed on being a horse owner.

Former football manager Alex Ferguson once remarked, "If my late wife had known how much money I spent on racehorses, she would have killed me."

In Korea as well, there are horse owners who cherish the honor of ownership and are known for their special affection for horses. The most notable is Lee Jonghun, the first person in Korea to achieve 300 wins as a horse owner.

Jonghoon Lee Trainer, Winner of the Herald Economy Cup on March 16, 2025. Provided by Korea Racing Authority

Lee Jonghun, who is currently active as a horse owner at Let's Run Park Busan-Gyeongnam, achieved his historic 300th victory in the 4th race at Busan-Gyeongnam on the 16th with his racehorse "Beolmaking." On the same day, he took a new step toward 400 wins with the victory of his horse "Success Backpa" in the Herald Business Cup, the 8th race held in Seoul.

Achieving 100 wins as a horse owner is extremely rare and holds a unique significance, unlike 100 wins for a jockey or trainer. For this reason, 100 wins by an owner is often compared to 700 wins by a jockey or trainer. Trainers are entrusted with about 40 horses each by owners and can enter races 1-2 times a month in 10 races held daily.

Jockeys can accumulate around 100 wins annually even if they win only half of the races they participate in each day. However, owners can only participate in as many races as their investment allows. The cost of purchasing racehorses, feed, training, labor, and even the losses from not winning are entirely borne by the owner.

Lee Jonghun's 300 wins are no exception. Over 20 years, he has invested heavily and endured many trials and errors alongside Korean horse racing, resulting in this hard-earned achievement. Just as everyone in horse racing dreams of victory, there were days of triumph and days of disappointment. Only those who endure decades of hardship, including risks such as horse acquisition and injuries to their horses, can enjoy the honor of multiple wins as an owner.

Owners cannot simply leave horse racing because it is unprofitable. In horse racing, which operates on a 4-5 year cycle from breeding to racing, if owners were to leave, it would take more than 10 years to restore the industry. Thus, owners are the key players who have sustained Korean horse racing, taking on deficits and risks.

Lee Jonghun, the all-time winningest owner, debuted as an owner in 2005 as the CEO of Adelscot C.C. and Ace Nanochem.

Starting with the victory of his horse "Jeolho Chance" in the 2008 Korean Oaks, he has won a total of 17 major races, including the recent Herald Business Cup. Notable horses from his stable include "Yeongcheon Ace," winner of the 2015 Korean Derby; "Beolma's Dream," winner of the 2015 Busan Mayor's Cup; "World Sun," winner of the 2018 Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Cup; "Betelgeuse," winner of the 2023 KRA Cup Mile; and "Beolma's Star," winner of the 2024 SBS Sports Sprint.

The number of racehorses Lee Jonghun has owned and the number of races he has entered are overwhelming compared to other owners. He has owned a total of 186 racehorses to date, which is 39 more than Kim Changshik, the owner with the second most horses in both Seoul and Busan-Gyeongnam combined.

Lee Jonghun has entered 1,986 races, 130 more than Choyonghak, the owner with the most race entries in Seoul. The prize money earned through his horses amounts to approximately 19.6 billion won. Considering that Queen Elizabeth II earned 10 billion won over more than 30 years as an owner, Lee Jonghun may have owned even better horses than the Queen.

Today, being a horse owner is not just a personal investment or hobby, but a key pillar supporting the horse racing and equine industry. Having become an owner through a strict screening process, these individuals take pride in the fact that horse racing is the only sport where animals and humans can participate together, and they strive to maintain their reputation as owners.

When asked about his thoughts on achieving 300 wins, Lee Jonghun said, "It is thanks to the jockeys, trainers, stable staff, and the livestock farms that produce excellent horses," adding, "Until the day horse racing is recognized as a beloved leisure sport by the public, I will continue to supply good horses and spare no investment and effort for better races and the development of horse racing culture."

Jonghoon Lee, the horse owner, is examining the racehorse.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.