The Beat December 2002

By Spook Larsen from the Far Turn

Place your bets!

“Welcome back to Chongwadae Raceway, we‘re just moments away from post time for the 2002 running of the ’Daehanminguk‘ Presidential Derby Classic. The weather has been spectacular all afternoon with track conditions steadily improving after a slight pre-dawn drizzle outta the North…”

“Wouldn‘t be a Classic without a little barometric pressuring from the North…”

“(Hearty laughter) You said it, Chip. I‘m Skip De Nile and I‘m here in the box with that ol‘ pari-mutuel pontificator of the paddock, Chip E. Quivocate. Tell me Chip, what‘s the morning line on today‘s race.”

“Well Skip, this one looks to be a real nail-biter. We‘ve got a strong field of proven pacesetters along with a couple of untested entries just itchin‘ to get that first victory under the belt and don the Rose of Sharon.”

“And today‘s handle?”

“Why, nothing less than the continuing process of democratization here on the nub-end of the Korean Peninsula, Skip. This marks the fourth presidential race where the outcome is truly up for grabs, if you know what I mean.”

“Indeed I do, Chip. Indeed I do.”

“Back in 1987—the inaugural year for the Classic—Roh Tae-woo, an army buddy of the much-reviled then-previous winner, Chun Doo-hwan, who himself had stolen the race back in 1980 after Park Chung-hee, Korea‘s most infamous distance runner, was put down by one of his own grooms…”

“Say, isn‘t there a Noh running this year?”

“Roh, but it‘s a different bloodline…So, Skip, back in ’87 Roh became the first winner carried across the finish line by popular vote in a direct election. The current crown-holder, Kim Dae-jung, former palace gadfly and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner, had the auspicious honor in ‘97 of being the first champion out of an opposition stable. If this year‘s frontrunner, Lee Hoi-chang representing the Grand National Party (GNP, or Hannara-dang to the locals), can claim the stakes, it‘ll be the second time the mantle gets passed to an opposition party entry.”

“Speaking of Kim, this‘ll be his last trip to the track and then it‘s off to the stud farm.”

“That‘s right, Skip. While the deepening roots of democracy is one of the on-going trackside stories, perhaps of greater interest today is the end of the so-called “Three Kims Era” as DJ Kim, 1992 winner Kim Young-sam, and that perennial also-ran and frequent kingmaker in this Sport of Joseon Kings, Kim Jong-pil, all will have hung up the stirrups. Together those three have been a force in Korean presidential racing for nearly 40 years.”

“Wow, sounds like the Classic‘s come a long way, eh Chip? Now tell us about that field.”

“Lee, a former Supreme Court justice, National Assemblyman, and perpetual naysayer of the outgoing administration‘s past performance, is the odds-on favorite at 6-5. Frankly Skip, this is his race to lose. “Mr. Law,” as he‘s known on the backside, likes to set a conservative pace, relying on his stamina and that raucous Gyeongsang crowd to take him to the outside for that final drive down the stretch.”

“Problems?”

“Well Skip, Lee came up short the last time out in ‘97, and it was breeding got the best of him. Turns out that two of his progeny were exempted from fulfilling their military service obligations, and Lee got bunched up in a cloud of suspicion that payoffs were made to conscription officials to have both colts certified incapable of going the distance.”

“And now?”

“Well, it‘s a nagging injury for Lee and already has surfaced in some of his earlier workouts.”

“His strengths, besides stamina and the home-field advantage?”

“Skip, reaching that ’Chongwadae‘ winner‘s circle is all about organization, and Team GNP‘s got it in spades. From the top down, this is a group that knows what it‘s doing and what needs to be done. Come post time, the rank-and-file will be beating the bushes to get supporters down to the polling stations to bet the family farm on Lee to win.”

“How ’bout the rest of the field? Any surprises?”

“Gosh Skip, it wouldn‘t be a Classic without surprises. Two entries—Roh Moo-hyun, a legal eagle outta Korea‘s Second City and the standard-bearer for DJ Kim‘s Millennium Democratic Party (MDP or Minju-dang), and Chung Mong-joon, a darling of the media and a sentimental favorite with fans of the fetlock after organizing this year‘s FIFA World Cup—are both breaking their maiden at this distance. But after an eleventh-hour deal late last month, when the two were running neck and neck, they decided to team up as a single race card entry, and Noh got the nod to wear the silks.”

“Between the two, your thoughts?”

“This Roh could be a real contender. A political outsider who‘s managed mostly to slip through the reins of scandal, this top pick with the younger betters brings some freshness to the race. Runs mostly with the Labor crowd, and was never a big fan of the foreign military presence here on the peninsula, he‘s been training well and finished strong his last time out in the MDP primaries: Korea‘s first juvenile prep for the Classic. But Team MDP, which hasn‘t been running well in the mud storm of corruption allegations pounding the current administration, has been on a long losing streak and hasn‘t finished in the money since DJ Kim edged out Lee in that breathtaking ’97 photo finish.”

“Let‘s get your take on Chung? Does this magnanimous challenger have a future in racing?”

“There‘s no question he‘s got an excellent pedigree. Chung‘s sired out of legendary Hyundai founder, Chung Ju-yung, who, coincidentally, made an unsuccessful bid for the crown back in 1992 but hit the wall late in the running and finishing down the field. While the kid is fat, with plenty of juice to pony up for his newly christened National Alliance 21 Party (Kookmin-tonghap21-dang), he might just fade down the stretch. Right now he‘s an early pick with a lot of the punters at the $2 window, but the smart money says he‘s a race or two away from hitting his stride.”

“How about that ol‘ race coordinator, Uncle Sammy the Happy Handicapper? There‘s a whisper making the rounds that the Washington Whale might go to the whip in the final furlongs.”

“Skip, Skip, Skip, that‘s just horse hockey, pure and simple. Those bygone days of "boat racing" have been put out to pasture, although I‘m sure there‘ll be a whole mess ’a sugar for the hawks in Seoul if Lee noses out the field.”

“So Chip, whaddaya think about this Kwon Young-ghil? The virgin line had this guy as the longest of long-shots.”

“Well Kwon is the favorite of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP or Minju-nodong-dang), the political wing of the once outlawed and often controversial Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). A former newspaperman with a raging forest fire in the belly for the rights of Korea‘s working class, this entry is making his second appearance at this level having finished way, way, way outta the money back in ’97. Heck, there‘re probably still some ticket-holders from Pipe-fitters Local No. 809 out on the final turn waiting for him to limp across the wire on his way to the glue factory.”

“Ouch! (chuckling) And his chances this year?”

“Well, that horse couldn‘t be any darker if he was snorkeling in an ocean of ink on a moonless midnight.”

“(Suppressed laughter) Uh huh…But seriously, wouldn‘t some of the fans love to see a big payoff for today‘s race?”

“Not at all, Skip. This is definitely a short-money crowd here at the CWDR. There‘s a lot riding on this one: grandma and grandpa‘s nest egg (pension-fund reform and expansion of the social safety net for the elderly), the kiddies‘ college tuition (education reform), the rainy-day markers stashed in the mattress (continuing economic reform of Korea‘s largest companies, the chaebol), and the ever-popular family honor (inter-Korean relations). The way I see it, this crowd wants the chalk bet finishing back in the money.”

“Thanks for the analysis, Chip.”

“You got the call, Skip, I‘m off to the $50 window.”

“Well they‘re almost in the stalls. Looks like more than 60 percent of the grandstands are on their feet for this year‘s call to the post for the fourth running of the Presidential Derby Classic. They‘ve just about got Chung…no, make that Roh…into the starting gate…

Annnnnndddd… THEY‘RE OFF!