At 11 a.m. on the 18th, before the official opening, four 13.5-ton (t) trucks pulled into LetsRun Park Yeongcheon one after another. The trucks had departed from LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam and driven for about 1 hour and 50 minutes.
As the cargo door of the truck slowly lowered, a Korea Racing Authority (KRA) employee called the horse's name. The handler of the racehorse went into the cargo bay holding a bit and reins. About two minutes later, a racehorse carefully stepped down from the truck under the handler's guidance.
There were 20 horses in total, five per truck. The horses were moved from Busan-Gyeongnam to check the facilities and racing operations system ahead of the official opening of LetsRun Park Yeongcheon on Sept. 13.
On this day at LetsRun Park Yeongcheon, a mock run was held to check whether the stables and track, racehorse movement routes, and the finish-line photo finish system were operating normally. While heavy rain fell in the capital area and Chungcheong, it did not rain in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang, so the mock run went ahead as scheduled.
◇ Veterinary check right after unloading… Inspecting even hooves and shoes
The racehorses that had come off the trucks were examined by a veterinarian before moving to the stables. After visually checking the horses' condition, the veterinarian observed their gait and inspected for any issues with the ankles and legs.
Park Jin-heum, a veterinarian with the Korea Racing Authority (KRA), said, "First we check that there are no external abnormalities, and as we watch them walk, we look for injuries in areas such as the ankles," and added, "It's rare to find problems because the horses are managed carefully before a race, but occasionally some cannot run due to injury."
After arriving at the stables, a farrier checked the hooves and shoes. Farrier Jang Won said, "Racehorses usually change their shoes every 35 to 40 days," and explained, "Generally, the shoes are replaced about two weeks before a race, but we recheck before the start to see if there are any issues and adjust or replace them if needed."
After the examinations, the horses rested in the stables for about an hour to manage their condition. Some quietly caught their breath, while others, seemingly tense in the unfamiliar environment, scraped the floor with their hooves or breathed heavily.
Stable staff laid a thick layer of sawdust on the floor and watched the horses' movements. This was to prevent injuries from bumping into the walls or floor.
Five horses set to run in the first mock run were fitted with hoods. Four wore hoods that covered the ears. They are said to help reduce ambient noise so the horses do not become overly excited. In fact, the horses wearing ear-covering hoods appeared calmer than before.
◇ 20 horses ran in three rounds… Checking operations over rankings
There were three mock runs in total. The first was a 1,600-meter run with five horses, the second a 1,400-meter run with five, and the last a 1,200-meter run with 10.
When the starting gate opened, the racehorses bounded onto the track at once. The goal was not to determine rankings as in an official race. The focus was on checking whether the process of moving from the stables to the gate, running the track, and returning went smoothly.
They also checked the track condition, the operation of the starting gate, and the photo finish system that confirms the order across the finish line. The Korea Racing Authority (KRA) plans to hold another mock run on the 25th.
What sets LetsRun Park Yeongcheon apart from the existing Gwacheon, Busan-Gyeongnam and Jeju race parks is that it will be the first in the country to adopt a "regional rotating racing" model.
Under rotating racing, racehorses are not kept at a single track at all times; instead, they are transported to other tracks on race days to compete. When races are held in Yeongcheon, horses that usually train and are managed in Busan-Gyeongnam will travel by vehicle.
A racing authority official said, "In the United States, Japan and Hong Kong, it is common to race by moving among multiple tracks," and added, "It helps racehorses adapt to different tracks, which can improve their adaptability."
However, a challenge is maintaining the horses' safety and condition during long-distance transport. To address this, the authority built 13 dedicated racehorse transport vehicles with a 13.5t capacity.
◇ 300 billion won invested… Spaces designed for family visitors
Major facility checks were conducted alongside the mock runs. A total project cost of 305.7 billion won is being invested in developing LetsRun Park Yeongcheon. Phase one construction, which accounts for 185.7 billion won, is entering its final stage.
The grandstand, a core facility, was built with one basement level and four above-ground floors. It can accommodate about 3,500 people at once. Modeled after hanok on the exterior and using a reverse-terraced structure that rises toward the back, it was designed so each floor can look out over the track.
The track consists of two courses. By varying the starting points, races can be held over eight distances from 1,000 meters to 2,000 meters.
The authority said it secured a straight section of more than 150 meters in front of the starting point to reduce the risk of horses bunching up right after the start.
A waterside park has been created in the center of the track. While typical racecourses make the infield flat and at a height similar to the track, Yeongcheon built the center lower than the track. This allows spectators to watch the races from the central park as if looking around from outside.
Yu Beom-gyun, head of the Korea Racing Authority (KRA) Yeongcheon Project Preparation Team, said, "At existing race parks, it's typical to watch races from the grandstand side, but in Yeongcheon we designed it so races can also be viewed from the central park," and added, "We focused on creating spaces where family visitors can stay together."
The Director General said, "Through additional mock runs, we plan to check the entire process from racehorse transport to facility operations to actual runs," and added, "We will address safety and operational issues before the official opening."