"Who can say that horse racing is not a sport? The brilliant moments written by Global Hit."
The Korea Racing Authority announced on the 15th that it will broadcast the Dubai International Horse Racing Championship journey of the Korean racehorse Global Hit, known as the champion of horse racing, and jockey Kim Hye-sun on the specialized sports channel KBS N Sports at midnight on the 18th.
The broadcast titled "National Representative Horse Global Hit Overcomes Limits" is the first sports documentary in the field of horse racing aired domestically. Broadcasting a documentary about horse racing, viewed as taboo and a subject of regulation in the domestic climate, is quite unusual. This is because the effort and process that come with bearing the name of a national representative in a particular field hold significant meaning.
Global Hit, a racehorse representing South Korea on the international stage, is the best domestically bred racehorse that triumphed in domestic horse racing competitions in 2024 and rose to the champion's position. Global Hit, bred and owned by producer Kim Jun-hyeon, who directly produced him, has recorded 10 wins out of 17 races so far, earning approximately 3.8 billion won, despite having a hereditary weakness in his legs. Although there have been ups and downs, he has proven that his success in each race is due to skill, not luck, alongside his exceptional partner, jockey Kim Hye-sun.
The Dubai World Cup, which serves as the backdrop for Global Hit's overseas expedition, is one of the horse racing events with the highest prize money in the world. The winning horse and owner of the Dubai World Cup receive prize money in the billions and international fame, while the winning horse is recognized for its potential value, compared to a goose that lays golden eggs. Thus, the Dubai World Cup is referred to as the "dream stage" by those involved in the horse racing industry.
This broadcast covers not only the racehorse and jockey but also the owners, trainers, caretakers, Dubai officials, and horse racing fans—stakeholders hoping for victory at the "dream stage" of the Dubai World Cup—bringing to light their fierce stories, race scenes, and the heated atmosphere on site that people were unaware of.
In particular, the program captures the efforts and interviews of those involved who experienced the high walls of the international stage during their first overseas race and worked tirelessly to adapt the racehorse to an environment different from the domestic one through continuous local training. It also covered the journey of growth as the horse progressed to place third in an upset after overcoming top-class racehorses in the second race.
Eom Yeong-seok, head of the Korea Racing Authority's Busan-Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters, said, "I am pleased that this documentary can convey the authentic stories and efforts of those who work in the horse racing industry to many people," adding, "I hope that Korean horse racing will transform into a festival enjoyed by the entire nation, like world-renowned international horse racing events such as the Dubai World Cup."
Meanwhile, the Korea Racing Authority is conducting a broadcast viewing certification event through its official YouTube KRBC channel. Participants can apply for the event through the official YouTube channel's community until the 27th. Selected participants through a lottery will receive souvenirs such as a frame of horseshoes run by Global Hit in Dubai and Starbucks gift cards.
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