The last three wagering places that were accepting customers for betting have had to close so with no wagering available in Korea and low Stakes prize-money, we are back to all three tracks running in Korea simultaneously behind-closed-doors just one day a week. That day this week is Saturday and the 12-race Busan card is available for overseas simulcasting so that’s the one we will focus on for our previews, however, there is one sensational race in prospect at Seoul so we’ll add a preview for that at the bottom too:
Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
A juvenile maiden to kick things off at Busan with five of the fourteen racing for the first time. (5) HAPPY WOMAN started slowly but ran on for 4th on debut over 1000M on November 20th., registering a fast final furlong. She should have come on for that run and with an extra furlong to play with here, should have every chance. (2) B.J. KING debuted over this trip at the end of October running a somewhat one-paced 6th. Improvement seems on the cards here and he can go close. (10) BAEDARI ICON beat a couple of these on his way to 6th place on debut last month. He benefits again from a very light weight and also can appreciate the additional distance. Among the first-timers, the jockey/trainer combination for (9) GOSUUI POWER will tempt plenty. The colt offered few clues when 2nd in a November trial but looked competent enough. His dam won nine of fifteen races here. (1) WONDERFUL BOBCAT too acquitted himself well in his heat.
| Selections | (5) Happy Woman (2) B. J. King (9) Gosuui Power (10) Baedari Icon |
| Next Best | 1, 3, 6 |
| Fast Start | 4, 6. 9, 14 |
Race 2: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
More maidens and again there are five debut-makers. (13) RANK THE POWER breezed through a trial in mid-November (having missed the qualification time in October) in the kind of time that would see him win plenty of actual five furlong races. The wide draw may not be ideal but if he brings that form here, then he should win. (12) WORLD CHANGE and (14) YEONSEUNG BRAVO are two other first-timers who also suffer from somewhat dodgy draws but performed adequately in trials and can go well first up. As for the ones with prior racing experience, (10) YEONGGWANGUI SPEED has a 3rd and a 4th place finish among three outings so far. He hasn’t been exactly fast but won’t need to be in order to challenge for a place again. It’s a similar story with (5) TEAM SKY who today benefits from a good apprentice jockey taking some weight off. The fastest time of any of these at the distance so far was recorded by (6) GOLD LUCK when 5th on debut and he too can aim for the places here.
| Selections | (13) Rank The Power (10) Yeonggwangui Speed (5) Team Sky (12) World Change |
| Next Best | 14, 6 |
| Fast Start | 3, 5, 6, 8, 13 |
Race 3: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
It may be class 6 but there are two previous winners among the field in the shape of (3) FIRST WIND and (12) GOLD MAGIC and it would be no big surprise were either of them to strike again. That said, there are a few who are yet to score who should be firmly in the frame. They include (2) NEW LUX, who has been getting steadily closer over four outing so far. That culminated in a useful 2nd last start behind Good Socks and the filly has every chance of going one better today. (9) OMEGA GIRL beat a couple of these on her way to a career best 3rd place at this distance on November 8th and has every chance of building on that here while (10) JANGSAN PRIDE too improved significantly at his latest outing, running 2nd over 1300M.
| Selections | (2) New Lux (3) First Wind (12) Gold Magic (9) Omega Girl |
| Next Best | 10, 1 |
| Fast Start | 3, 7, 14 |
Race 4: Class 6 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million
(4) CATCH THE VICTORY comes in having run 3rd and 2nd in his two starts so far. He was well beaten by a good winner last start but in coming 2nd recorded the fastest time of any of these at the distance and he is the slight pick to go one better here. (7) KING BID steps back up in trip today after a good 3rd over 1000M in November. Seo Seung-un takes over in the saddle and he is sure to have plenty of backers. (9) LUCKY MAGIC looks to finally be figuring things out having run a career best 3rd last time out. Her times haven’t been exactly quick but they she won’t need to be too fast to be in the mix today. There are two first-time starters and (2) SKY MORE looks a prospect. By Hansen and out of a Korean Oaks and SBS Cup winning mare, she ran 4th in her trial in a useful enough time and should go well first-up.
| Selections | (4) Catch The Victory (7) King Bid (2) Sky More (9) Lucky Magic |
| Next Best | 1, 6, 12 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 7 |
Race 5: Class 5 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
A good little race this with plenty in the hunt. (6) TAKE INDY KING was an emphatic winner on debut on November 6th, running on strongly to score by four-lengths. Her is up in both class and in distance today but neither should be an issue and he can win again. So too can (9) TOP OF KOREA. He too is up in class following a win in late August. It came at this distance and if he can get on or close to the speed, he has a good chance of following up. (5) MR. FUSION has the best time of any of these at the distance and from a good draw is likely to be on speed from the start. He too races for the first time since August when he was beaten by (11) POWER GATE. Power Gate has raced twice since then and hasn’t been too far away. A host of others have placing chances with the wildcard being (1) QUEEN UP, who began her career in an ultra-consistent manner but hasn’t raced since January. She trialed up seemingly within herself a couple of weeks ago and could be a factor.
| Selections | (6) Take Indy King (9) Top Of Korea (5) Mr. Fusion (11) Power Gate |
| Next Best | 1, 2, 14 |
| Fast Start | 5, 9, 11 |
Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 28 Million
A somewhat motley mixture of imports and locals ranging from juveniles to seven-year-olds line up here. The first California Chrome to race in Korea makes his debut. (5) BLUE CHAMP trialed nicely and in such a race has to go into contention. So too does another first-timer, (1) CLEAR. He ran 3rd in his trial in a decent enough time on a dry track and the Wolsley/Perovic combination will tempt plenty. As for the rest, (10) ECHO SUN looks the most convincing Although his best recent work has been over 1400M, he enters in good form and while the 57kg won’t help him, he looks to have solid claims. (13) DALGI was a very good winner over 1300M in August and while her performance over this distance at the end of October was slightly concerning, she is worth another chance in this company today. (8) HAPPY GATE has lost his way a touch in his latest two starts but may benefit from the drop back in trip and should be on pace from the start.
| Selections | (10) Echo Sun (1) Clear (13) Dalgi (5) Blue Champ |
| Next Best | 8, 9, 12 |
| Fast Start | 8, 13 |
Race 7: Class 4 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 28 Million
A very competitive race. (14) YEONGGWANGUI TIME was a class and distance winner on October 31st with a front-running performance and came home in a time faster than any of the others have achieved at the distance. He gets no penalty for that win and has every chance of repeating. What he does get though is a bad draw and it won’t be easy for him to get the run of the race this time. (11) TITLE CODE and (10) NICE ONE came home 2nd and 3rd when they raced each other at class and distance on November 6th. Both look in the hunt here and with a weight advantage this time, Nice One could well overturn that form. (7) LUCKY NUMBER ONE is a front-runner who drops back into trip and should be in the frame from a central draw. (2) HAPPY WITCH finds herself up in class after a win and two runner-up finishes in three outings to date. She is nicely drawn to get on the early speed and can be competitive.
| Selections | (14) Yeonggwangui Time (10) Nice One (11) Title Code (7) Lucky Number One |
| Next Best | 2, 3, 8 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 |
Race 8: Class 2 (1200M) Allowance / KRW 36 Million
All except four of these are first-up here and the ones that aren’t don’t enter in great form so we’re going to have to rely on some quite old form. (11) FANTASTIC ROAD won three of four starts around the end of last year and beginning of this with his only defeat coming in the Gyeongnam DoMin Ilbo Cup. He hasn’t raced since scoring nicely over this distance at class 3 level in February but he looked nice and spritely in an August trial. Others are better drawn but a win isn’t impossible here. (1) YES POWER likewise last raced in February. He is a class and distance winner and has the joint-fastest time of any of these at the distance. He trialed much more recently, in November, and looked in good order. (3) JUUK beat four of these when winning at class and distance in July. He’s been ordinary in two subsequent starts and the weights do him no favours but he can be given another chance here. (7) TOP OF WORLD and (12) YEONGSEONG ACE are others with the potential to go close.
| Selections | (11) Fantastic Road (1) Yes Power (12) Yeongseong Ace (3) Juuk |
| Next Best | 7, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 14 |
Race 9: Class 5 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million
(5) ALPHA STAR got his maiden win at the fifth time of asking on November 13th. It had been coming and when it did, he did it in style, making all to win by a full thirteen-lengths over this distance. He doesn’t have to step up in class and only carries an additional kilogram making him the one to beat again here. (1) JERA similarly made all on debut over 1200M. He too won impressively and while up in class and distance today, looks to have plenty of scope for further development and he can be competitive here. (2) CHOEGANG SSONSAL continues the theme of excellent last start winners and under a very light weight is in the frame. There are plenty of others capable of contesting the places. (11) JEONSEOLUI FIGHT has a solid record at this distance and is rarely too far away while (12) NUMBER ONE STAR comes in comes in off a useful runner-up finish at class and distance a month ago and shapes to go well here again.
| Selections | (5) Alpha Star (1) Jera (2) Choegang Ssonsal (11) Jeonseolui Fight |
| Next Best | 12, 14 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 5, 7, |
Race 10: Class 4 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 28 Million
(10) AFLEET YOUNG is a two-time winner at this distance, including once at this class. He only managed 5th when sent up to a mile last start in November but should be much better today. He’ll come from off the pace and finish strongly. This is a good race though with plenty of potential winners. (5) MY TIZ GEM is a class and distance winner too and has consistently run good times across her six starts to date. The Gemologist filly comes in off a solid 3rd place behind Raon Yeogeol and will be a danger today. (8) COPY THAT is up in class with two wins and two runner-up finishes from four appearances so far. It’s his first try at the distance too but he should be more than equal to the challenge. (11) YEONGGWANGUIFACTOR is inconsistent but goes well on his day – he doesn’t look a winning chance here but a place is possible. The wildcard is (14) NEWS MAKER. He has only raced once but he went well, running 2nd over a mile in February. He offered few clues in a trial last month.
| Selections | (10) Afleet Young (5) My Tiz Gem (8) Copy That (11) Yeonggwanguifactor |
| Next Best | 14, 12, 9 |
| Fast Start | 4, 8, 11 |
Race 11: Class 4 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 28 Million
(6) PAI BLADE got turned over when sent off as favourite (and there actually was betting) over a mile on November 6th. The 2nd place that day bumps him up in class but he drops back to the distance at which he got his victory at and he can be given another chance today. Already established at this level is (14) GLOBAL TOP. She beat a couple of these on her way to 2nd place over a mile a month ago and while she has u rather unenviable draw, she has every chance of going close. (5) FASHION KEY too has run well in two starts so far at this class and should be a factor today while (1) CHANGE BACK, a real disappointment when favourite at a mile last month, doesn’t win out of turn but rarely misses by much and looks a good shout for a place again.
| Selections | (6) Pai Blade (14) Global Top (1) Change Back (5) Fashion Key |
| Next Best | 2, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 6, 13, 14 |
Race 12: Class 3 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 32 Million
(11) BLUE POWER ran 4th in the Korean Derby and then 2nd in the Minister’s Cup at Seoul this summer. That led him to be sent off as favourite for his return to Busan at this distance on November 13th. He could only manage 2nd to Thunder King but did beat several of his rivals today and he looks worth another chance. Having said that, those ones he beat don’t look like being his primary rivals this time. (13) YEONGCHEON JILJU also went to the Derby and Minister’s Cup but finished well back in both. However, he bookended those two races with two excellent wins at this trip here at Busan, the latter of which was at this class on November 8th. He carries an additional 3kg today but should be right in this. So too should (14) TOP SKY. He races for the first time since August, when he was a winner at this distance, and can go well fresh first up. (2) REVERSE SWEEP and (6) TRUE VALOR are among those who can compete for minor places.
| Selections | (11) Blue Power (13) Yeongcheon Jilju (14) Top Sky (2) Reverse Sweep |
| Next Best | 6, 9 |
| Fast Start | 5, 12, 14 |
And one from Seoul just for fun…
Seoul Race 14: Class 1 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million
As for that sensational race at Seoul, it’s this one, and if there ever was any doubt that these lower Stakes races were being taken seriously, those fears were put to rest when (11) EOMA EOMA came out and broke the track record at this distance on October 23rd. The Algorithms three-year-old had previously finished 3rd in the SBS Sports Sprint and 2nd in the Owners’ Association Trophy, both at 1200M. Eoma Eoma has drawn the widest gate today and Moon Se-young is indisposed meaning Song Jae-chul is reinstated to the ride but he should be far too good. (9) DO KKI BLADE did beat Eoma Eoma when 2nd in the SBS. He had a great run that day under a super Kim Yong-geun ride only to be denied at the last by Morfhis, while Eoma Eoma was wide all the way and set an impossible task. While it will be interesting if Do Kki Blade gets to the lead again, a few months on and at a furlong further, this is for Eoma Eoma to lose. (10) HAVANA CHARLIE has posted some excellent times and while he was 5th behind Eoma Eoma last time, looks good for 3rd here. It’s daylight to the rest, who are comprised mostly of average 1400M and staying form coming back in trip. The exception is (5) CRAZY FACTOR who may make a nuisance of himself at the front early from a very good draw.
| Selections | (11) Eoma Eoma (9) Do Kki Blade (10) Havana Charlie (5) Crazy Factor |
| Next Best | 4, 3 |
| Fast Start | 5, 9, 10, 11 |
Horse Racing in Korea 