Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (December 10)

The final leg of the delayed 2021 Korean Triple Crown finally takes place at Seoul on Sunday afternoon. Just eight runners will compete but they include Heat Yegam and Winner’s Man, the winners of the first two legs of the Series. Before that, racing gets underway on Friday with a seven-race card from 12:40 to 18:00. All betting locations will be open but attendance must be pre-booked using the MyCard app and proof of vaccination against Covid-19 is required. Here are the previews:

Racing returns to Busan where Complete Value won last weekend’s Korean Breeders’ Cup to be crowned Champion Juvenile

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

(3) WIND HIGH stepped up to this distance at start number three on October 8th and recorded a good 3rd place having sat handy throughout. She draws nicely here, carries the same light weight, and has solid claims to make the breakthrough. (1) ANNIKA GIRL has been knocking on the door for a while and took a step forward with a good 2nd place over this trip on November 7th, having settled well back. The inside gate gives options to her rider and she should be close at hand again here. (9) BARAM GONGJU was caught wide and then well back at her latest start over 1300M before flying home in the closing stages for 3rd place. She went well at this trip three starts back and should be doing her best work late on again. (8) PICTURE JASPER is another who comes in off a last start 3rd. (4) SEONGSIL SONYEO the logical next best.

Selections(3) Wind High (1) Annika Girl (9) Baram Gongju (8) Picture Jasper
Next Best4, 7
Fast Start3, 4, 7, 8

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Allowance / KRW 25 Million

The exposed form here isn’t great. (4) UNBRIDLED QUEEN tackles this distance for the first time and is the only one in the field who has a 2nd place finish to her name. She has the ability to run on and with Seo Seung-un returning to the mount has as good a chance as any of making her breakthrough here. (3) WORLD FLOWER comes in off two consistent performances at this distance, last time overcoming a wide draw to run on well for 4th with a couple of today’s rivals behind her. She gets a much better gate today and should be going close. (8) OMEGA GIRL comes back in trip after recent outings over a mile. She has posted a decent time at this distance and in this company should be competitive. (5) GOLDEN BROOM hasn’t done much in three starts so far but likewise hasn’t done much wrong either. His best finish is a 4th over 1000M but he stuck to his task over 1200M last time and can be in the mix here. (6) NEW FRESH has slowly shown signs of improvement and is another with minor money hopes.

Selections(4) Unbridled Queen (3) World Flower (8) Omega Girl (5) Golden Broom
Next Best6, 2
Fast Start1, 4, 5, 7

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

He may have only finished in midfield in his latest two but (8) WILD BLUE has the fastest time among these over the distance and today finds himself in more amenable company. Expect him to sit on pace or handy here and he can win. (1) CHEONHA NUMBER ONE comes up in class having scored his maiden win at start number eight over 1200M on November 5th. He came from a handy position that day, finishing off well and while he comes up to this trip for the first time, he draws nicely and carries a light weight. (9) ADELE SMART is the only one of these to have already won at the distance and that alone makes him a contender again here while (5) HAVE A GOOD TIME didn’t go well on his previous try at 1400M but draws much better today and if he can get on pace, then he has claims. (3) GOOD STAR another with minor money hopes.

Selections(8) Wild Blue (1) Cheonha Number One (9) Adele Smart (5) Have A Good Time
Next Best3, 2
Fast Start1, 5, 7, 8

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(10) OREUDA showed good speed on debut on October 15th to quickly get to the front and run on to win over 1000M. This is further and slightly harder given that it’s up in class but with some natural improvement he looks very much in this. (7) TTEUGEOUN MANNAM is the big danger. Since resuming following nine months out, she has a 2nd and a 3rd to her name, both at this distance and the latter at this class three weeks ago when she sat just behind the speed throughout and was beaten only by a couple of decent ones. She has a real chance here. (12) KING ALLIE was a winner on debut back in April and followed it up with consecutive 3rd place finishes. He hasn’t raced since July but looked very well when winning a November trial in a fast time and while the wide draw doesn’t do him any favours, he should be competitive first-up. (6) CATCH THE VICTORY and (3) TWO TWO LIME are others in at least the placing frame.

Selections(10) Oreuda (7) Tteugeoun Mannam (12) King Allie (6) Catch The Victory
Next Best3, 2
Fast Start2, 6, 10, 12

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 40 Million

(11) LANE KILLER got his maiden win over a mile two starts back before running 2nd at this distance on his first attempt at class 5, beating three of today’s rivals in the process on November 19th. He does come up slightly in the weights and drawing wide is never easy at 1800M in Busan but he is very much the one to beat here. (3) CENTUM THOR ran 4th in that race. He is yet to win in eleven attempts but has consistently gone close and has strong claims on another money finish here. (6) OLD CHEONHA is up in class and distance following a maiden win at start number five over a mile on November 19th. His racing style suggests that he should cope with the additional furlong and he can’t be ruled out. Nor can (8) ACE FOUR TEN, who has good experience at this level and is rarely far away. (7) DOCTOR PRO another who could place.

Selections(11) Lane Killer (3) Centum Thor (6) Old Cheonha (8) Ace Four Ten
Next Best7, 1
Fast Start2, 3, 4, 8

Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1800M) Allowance / KRW 60 Million

(7) DOCTOR TAKE came from midfield to comprehensively score over this distance on November 12th. He comes up in class here but there isn’t too much to fear and he has every chance of winning again. (2) SEUNGNI TOUT looks to be the main rival. He’s been a model of consistency at this class and comes in after a good 3rd over a mile at his latest start in November. He comes up 3kg in the weights but draws nicely and must be considered. (6) GREAT DANCE was a solid class and distance 4th on November 19th and should be in the mix again while (5) DONGBANUI SIJAK comes up in trip following a decent 2nd place at 1400M. The latter comes down in the weights and looks very nicely in here. (1) YEONGBONGSAN, a class and distance winner at odds two starts back is another one in the frame in a competitive race.

Selections(7) Doctor Take (2) Seungni Tout (6) Great Dance (5) Dongbanui Sijak
Next Best1, 4
Fast Start2, 3, 6, 8

Busan Race 7: Class 3 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

It’s about time (10) ROCKY SKY returned to the winner’s circle. He has won just the once from fourteen starts but has finished as runner-up on no fewer than seven occasions, most recently at his last start when racing against several of today’s rivals at this class over 1400M on November 14th. The wide draw may not be ideal but he should be the one to beat here. (5) BABEL HIT was the winner that day, coming from well back to score. He comes up 3kg in the weights as a result but warrants respect. (9) AMOR FATI is up in class after an all the way win over 1200M on November 5th. He carries a really light weight here and should measure up in today’s company. (4) GEUMA PSYCHIC ran 6th in that November 14th race, positing a fast time, and should be aiming to get closer today. (6) RAON THE POWER was an also-ran in the November 14th race but has plenty of speed about him and can be given another chance.

Selections(10) Rocky Sky (5) Babel Hit (9) Amor Fati (4) Geuma Psychic
Next Best6, 7
Fast Start6, 9, 10, 11