U.S.-Bred Chancheng Glory Leads Field for Korea Cup

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In returns to South Korea Sept. 7, headlined by the $1.1 million Korea Cup (G3) at 1 1/8 miles and the $1 million Korea Sprint (G3) at six furlongs, both on the dirt track at Seoul Racecourse Park. The Korea Cup gives the winner an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) while the Korea Sprint winner gains a guaranteed starting position into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships. An 11-horse field has been entered for the Korea Cup, led by Chancheng Racing Syndicate's Chancheng Glory, an eight-time winner for trainer Kin Wai Francis Lui. After racing 29 times on turf, Chancheng Glory takes to the dirt for the first time Sunday in his first time racing outside of Hong Kong, where he had a win and a second-place finish in graded stakes this year. On Jan. 31, he captured the Centenary Vase Handicap (G3) at Sha Tin by three-quarters of a length going 1 1/8 miles. Four starts later, the 5-year-old Mor Spirit gelding finished second by a half-length in the May 31 Lion Rock Trophy (G3). Bred in Iowa by H. Allen Poindexter, Chancheng Glory was sixth, beaten two lengths in a one-mile handicap prep at Sha Tin in his most recent start July 13. Three H Racing's Dura Erede (JPN) is one of three entrants shipping in from Japan. Trained by Manabu Ikezoe, the 5-year-old son of Duramente (JPN) won Japan's 2022 Hopeful Stakes (G1) as 2-year-old and finished third in consecutive runnings of the Champions Cup (G1) in 2023-24 at Chukyo Racecourse. As a 3-year-old, he finished second in the 2023 UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan Racecourse. He has made three starts this year, topped by a third in the Jan. 26 Procyon Stakes (G2) at Chukyo. Another contender from Japan is Koji Maeda's 4-year-old Ramjet (JPN), a son of Majestic Warrior who has won five of 12 starts, including three consecutive wins in 2024 highlighted by the Unicorn Stakes (G3) at Kyoto Racecourse and the listed Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. Trainer Shozo Sasaki sent him on a Middle Eastern tour this winter, where he finished sixth in the Saudi Cup (G1) and ninth in the Dubai World Cup (G1). The local contingent is led by 4-year-old Success Baekpa (KOR), South Korea's champion 3-year-old colt last year with victories in two of Korea's Triple Crown races, the KRA Cup Mile and the Minister's Cup. Owned by Lee Jong Hun and trained by Min Jang Gi, the son of Purge scored a four-length victory in his most recent start, the Aug. 3 listed KRA Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Seoul. Chikappa, Vincero Cavallo clash in Korea Sprint Japan will be represented by three starters in the Korea Sprint, which drew 13 runners, led by Koji Oka's Chikappa (JPN), Life House's Sunrise Hawk (JPN), and Ryoji Yagi's Tagano Beauty (JPN). They are set to challenge local star Vincero Cavallo (KOR) in the test for 3-year-olds and up. A 4-year-old son of Real Steel (JPN), Chikappa won two listed stakes in Japan last year, taking the Hokkaido Sprint Cup at Mombetsu and the Tokyo Hai at Oi Racecourse in October for his fifth win. Trained by Kazuya Nakatake, Chikappa was sent to Saudi Arabia in February for the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2), where he finished 10th. He will be ridden by Yutaka Take Sunday. Sunrise Hawk, a 6-year-old gelded son of Leontes (JPN), has won seven times in 20 starts for trainer Mitsunori Makiura. He has had two near misses this year, losing the Feb. 24 Kakitsubata Kinen by a nose and the April 16 Tokyo Sprint by a head. Tagano Beauty attempted to earn an automatic berth into the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) earlier this year when finishing eighth in the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo. Trained by Masato Nishizono, the 8-year-old son of Henny Hughes is seeking his ninth career win, which includes last year's listed JBC Sprint at Saga. Kim In Gyu's Vincero Cavallo has won 10 races in 21 starts highlighted by sweeping the 2025 Sprint Series at Seoul, taking the final two legs with the April 13 SBS Sports Sprint by 1 1/2 lengths and followed by a length victory in the May 18 SROA Chairman's Sprint as the odds-on favorite.