Five years in the making — 'Gwanaksan Wishme' scores its first win
Jockey Kim Tae-hee of the Korea Racing Authority's Lets Run Park Seoul has reached 100 career wins, five years after her professional debut.
Kim rode Gwanaksan Wishme to victory in the third race at Lets Run Park Seoul on Saturday, crossing the finish line first. The milestone carried double significance: it was Kim's 100th career win and Gwanaksan Wishme's first.
Born in 2000, Kim made her debut in July 2021 and has accumulated 100 wins from 1,481 race starts. Her career win rate stands at 6.8 percent, with a place rate of 12.8 percent and a show rate of 21.2 percent.
Kim had dreamed of a future with horses since middle school. She persuaded her parents to let her enroll in an equestrian high school, and a visit to a racetrack during a practical training course there set her on the path to becoming a jockey. Watching the entire process up close — from race preparation to the finish — proved to be the moment that shaped her career choice.
Since turning professional in 2021, she has built her win total through consistent racing and accumulated experience, refining her ability to communicate with her mounts, make split-second decisions and manage races strategically to reach triple digits in roughly five years.
Speaking immediately after the race, Kim said, "From my debut in 2021 until now, so many people have cared for me like a daughter, and I am truly grateful to the fans who have always cheered me on and to everyone who has sent their support from the paddock." She added, "I will continue to give my best in every race to repay that support and show everyone what I can do."
yjc@heraldcorp.com
