"War of the Stars" at the Herald Economy Cup... Battle for the Long-Distance Champion

G3 Race to Be Held at Let's Run Park Seoul on March 15

Showdown Among Speedyoung, Clean One, Success Backpa, and Gangpungma

Korea Racing Authority (Chairman Jeong Ki-hwan) will host the 24th Herald Economy Cup (G3) in Race 7 at Let's Run Park Seoul on March 15. This 2,000-meter long-distance race is open to horses aged three and older, with a total of 12 competitors vying for the winner's trophy and a total prize purse of 500 million won.

The Herald Economy Cup serves as the opening leg of the annual Stayer Series, which determines the best long-distance racehorse of the year. The series consists of three graded races, with the overall winner determined by cumulative points. The second race will be the YTN Cup (G3) on April 19, followed by the final race, the Busan Mayor's Cup (G2), on May 24.

This year's event is expected to see fiercer competition than ever before, with a strong lineup of top-tier racehorses. The field includes "Speedyoung," the 2025 Horse of the Year; "Clean One," the Grand Prix winner; "Success Backpa," the defending champion; and "Gangpungma," Seoul's leading contender—setting the stage for a "war of the stars." Recently, racehorses from the Busan-Gyeongnam region have shown dominance in major races, so whether Busan-Gyeongnam will claim the winner's trophy again or Seoul will stage a comeback is a key point of interest.

"Speedyoung," representing Busan-Gyeongnam and the 2025 Horse of the Year, boasts the highest rating and prize earnings among the entries. In February, despite returning to the short-distance 1,200m World Ilbo Cup, the horse secured victory, reaffirming its competitiveness. Its powerful late run down the home stretch was particularly impressive, and it is regarded as an all-rounder capable of excelling from 1,200m to 2,000m. Last year, Speedyoung finished runner-up in the Herald Economy Cup, narrowly losing to "Success Backpa" by a head.

"Clean One" emerged as a rising powerhouse by defeating strong favorites "Global Hit," "Speedyoung," and "Gangpungma" in last year's Grand Prix, winning by a commanding nine-length margin. That race marked the first Grand Prix victory for a three-year-old in a decade, and set a new record for three-year-olds (2:52.2). Though still young with only nine starts, Clean One is seen as the future of Korean horse racing and will team up with jockey Seo Seung-woon for this race.

Last year's Herald Economy Cup winner, "Success Backpa," is also considered a strong contender. As a racehorse known for stamina and long-distance experience, it was named the Best Three-Year-Old of 2024. In the 2025 KRA Cup Classic, Success Backpa overtook both "Global Hit" and "Speedyoung" with a powerful late run down the stretch to clinch victory. Although results since then have been somewhat inconsistent, the horse is still regarded as having the potential to reclaim the top spot at any time.

Seoul's representative, "Gangpungma," is also a formidable challenger. Having overcome left recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, this late-blooming racehorse shares the highest rating of 117 with "Speedyoung." Gangpungma's strength lies in its powerful stride and stamina, drawn from its formidable 570kg frame. In last year's Grand Prix, despite a disadvantageous start, it managed a late surge to overtake "Speedyoung" and finish second, proving its competitiveness.

Racing fans are keenly watching this first showdown of the Stayer Series to see which horse will take the initial step toward becoming the long-distance champion of the year.

Speedyoung is winning the Segye Ilbo Cup this year.

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