Aiming for the 'Dubai World Cup,' the World's Premier Horse Racing Event to be Held in Dubai in 2025
The queen of stakes races, jockey Kim Hye-seon, and ‘Global Hit’ from LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam, which holds the throne of Korean racehorses, are embarking on an overseas challenge aiming for the world’s top horse racing event, the ‘Dubai World Cup,’ to be held in Dubai in 2025.
Born in 2020 at Yeonhak Ranch in Jeju, Global Hit is a domestic racehorse that inherits the bloodline of the stallion ‘To Honor and Serve,’ who produced star racehorses such as ‘Cheongdam Dokki’ and ‘Beolma’s Star.’ After winning its debut race held at Busan-Gyeongnam Racecourse in June 2022, Global Hit showed exceptional promise. Entering its third year, it demonstrated its presence by winning the Korean Derby (G1) and the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Cup (G2), the top stages of Korean horse racing in the first half of the year.
Now four years old, Global Hit has firmly established itself as Korea’s strongest by sweeping a total of four stakes race trophies, including the President’s Cup (G1), which determines the strongest domestic racehorse. In the recent Korea Cup (G1), where famous racehorses from Japan and the United States also competed overseas, Global Hit finished third behind Japanese horses. Although the result was somewhat disappointing, it showed the most threatening performance among Korean racehorses.
On the 14th, at the selection committee held by the Korea Racing Authority to support Korean racehorses’ participation in Dubai, it was announced that Global Hit will be the sole representative for the Dubai expedition. A Korea Racing Authority official said, “Despite being a domestic racehorse, Global Hit is a horse that is hard to find a rival for in Korea,” and added, “The Korea Racing Authority will actively support Global Hit so that it can promote national prestige by performing on the world stage starting in Dubai.”
Kim Hye-seon, the soul mate of Global Hit, will also participate in Dubai. Breaking the glass ceiling as a female jockey in a world once called a male-only zone, Kim Hye-seon has been making new history every year and has consistently partnered with Global Hit. All six stakes race trophies won by Global Hit are the result of their collaboration.
Now reigning as the queen of stakes races, jockey Kim Hye-seon expressed her aspirations for this Dubai expedition challenge: “It is an honor itself to participate as a jockey at the Dubai Meydan Racecourse,” and said, “I want to surprise the Middle Eastern audience with the performance of a foreign racehorse from the other side of the globe and a female jockey riding it.”
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