Cosequin Presents OTTB Showcase: From South Korea To South Dakota?

Gate to Great in South Dakota, a program that takes in retired Thoroughbreds and retrains them as working ranch horses, often looks for horses who have racked up the starts and miles.

Co-founders and co-owners Dale Simonton and Dorothy Snowden have seen a number of geldings pass through their program and go onto successful careers as ranch horses in the western United States, including Finn McCool, who was featured in the OTTB Showcase last year, and Rikim, who after his 75th start at Beulah Park in Ohio, came to Gate to Great and represented the organization in the 2014 Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover in Baltimore.

But their most recent acquisition had them scratching their heads. How do you say his name (Cheongnyong Bisang) and how did he get there from South Korea?

Turns out “Doc Ruel,” as he's known at the ranch in honor of the veterinarian who rehabilitated him after a bowed tendon, was so much more than a random foreign import. He is a champion in his homeland who, among other accomplishments, decisively won the first leg of the South Korean Triple Crown in 2014. Sent overseas with hopes that he would represent his home country proudly on American soil, his on-track injury led to a transition to an off-track life as quite a proficient cow horse.

Gate to Great recently posted a blog entry about their program's celebrity gelding, which includes photos, race replays and the complete story of his career both in South Korea and South Dakota.

We couldn't have told his story better ourselves, so we invite you to click here and get to know one of the most well-traveled and unique OTTBs you'll ever meet.

THE DEETS:

Name: Cheongnyong Bisang (a.k.a. “Doc Ruel”)
Born: February 28, 2011
Color: Chestnut
Sire: Volponi
Dam: Miss Alwuhush
Sale History: none
Race Record: 11-5-0-0
Race Earnings: $550,557

If you have or know of a retired Thoroughbred with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear about it! Just email Jen Roytz ([email protected]) with the horse's Jockey Club name, background story, and a few photos.

Jen Roytz is a freelance writer and marketing and public relations consultant for various entities, both equine and non-equine. She can also still be found on the back of an OTTB most days.

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