Day: December 9, 2023

Breeders’ Cup Sunday Busan & Seoul: Race-by-Race Preview (December 10)

It’s Breeders’ Cup day at Busan where the champion juvenile of 2023 will be decided while the extended Queens’ Tour finally comes to a conclusion too. See here for a full preview of the two big races. There are 6 races at Busan from 11:50 to 17:00 while at Seoul there are 10 from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Jeulgeounyeojeong has had a long and hard season yet the Triple Tiara winner is asked to go again on Sunday (Pic: KRA)

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

It’s hard to go past (1) BUNDANG TSUNAMI in the opener. Following a plain debut in July, he has run 3rd and 4th in two subsequent starts, most recently on his first try at this distance on October 29th when he led for much of the way. He should have derived benefit from that experience and from the inside gate, can be on pace again and this time can go all the way. There are three first-time starters, and of them, (8) RUN WILD looks the best. He came from off the pace in his latest trial, crossing the line in front with plenty of hand in a fair time. If he brings that form to the races, he will be close. (2) MIGHTY BOM shouldn’t be dismissed either. He overcame gate ten to sit handy in his trial, ultimately running 2nd. The time wasn’t quick, but he was within himself and from a good draw can put in a bold showing first up. Returning to the experienced ones, (11) THE SUN FIGHTER and (7) ÉCLAIR STAR look the clear next bests.

Selections(1) Bundang Tsunami (8) Run Wild (2) Mighty Bom (11) The Sun Fighter
Next Best7, 9
Fast Start1, 2, 7, 11

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(8) MY KHAN has raced twice for a 5th and most recently a 3rd place over 1200M on November 11th when coming from off the pace. The additional half furlong can suit and third-up, he can be peaking fitness-wise. He is hard to oppose but (1) STUNNING MONEY has hinted at ability across three starts so far. He too has been doing his best work late on and should be running on strong at the business end here. (2) SOLAIRE has raced just the once going right back after a slow start and running on for a fair 6th of ten. The time wasn’t quick, but he should have come on for the run and with some natural improvement, he can get closer here. (4) METIS THUNDER and (10) YONGBICHEON others with potential to challenge for the minor money.

Selections(8) My Khan (1) Stunning Money (2) Solaire (4) Metis Thunder
Next Best10, 5
Fast Start3, 4, 5, 10

Seoul Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

Not an especially strong maiden, so with a 5th and two 4th place finishes from her latest three, (2) LOVE MUNMAK will probably start favourite. She has the fastest final furlong average time among these by some margin, and she should appreciate the step up in trip here.  There is one first time starter. (3) DRAGON SQUARE went through three trials, ultimately getting the job down at the third time of asking, settling right back before rallying to cross the line in front in a fair time. The 1400M can suit first up and he can go right into the mix here. (1) SAVANA CHARLIE returned from three months off to finish in midfield on November 25th. He should strip fitter for that run, and he has plenty of money finishes to his name already. (5) JECHUK ILHO and (7) LAST PITCH are others to keep safe.

Selections(2) Love Munmak (3) Dragon Square (1) Savana Charlie (5) Jechuk Ilho
Next Best7, 8
Fast Start5, 7, 8, 9

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(10) MACH MAN has a couple of 5th places to his name including in a quick race over this distance last time out on November 5th. That gives him the fastest time among these over this distance by a considerable margin and while he may need a bit of luck early from the wide gate, he can win this. (6) KWAEHAN YEONGUNG has raced just the once when a fast 4th over 1000M back in August. He trialled up fairly in November and can be in the mix first up here, most likely racing on the pace. (2) RAON VIBE MAN came from off the pace to run a good 4th on debut over 1200M on November 12th. He should have come on for that run and can go closer here. (7) THUNDER MACHINE races for the first time since August and put in a fair trial performance last month. He along with (5) POWERFUL DASH can be considered for improvement.

Selections(10) Mach Man (6) Kwaehan Yeongung (2) Raon Vibe Man (7) Thunder Machine
Next Best5, 8
Fast Start1, 5, 6, 10

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Competitive race. (6) EINSPANNER was a winner on debut a year ago and ever since has been working her way back into contention. She comes in off a 3rd and a 2nd from her last two starts at 1200M and 1300M, both times having led almost the entire way around and today she can go one better. (10) SINUI HAMSEONG got his maiden win two starts back over 1200M before running a fair 4th over this distance on his first try at this class on November 11th when he went right back and ran on. He should have benefited from that experience and can get closer here. (7) ECHO ZONE was 5th behind Sinui Hamseong in that November 11th race and can match or better that today. (8) GOOD CABO and (4) LONDON ACE others in the hunt for the minors.

Selections(6) Einspanner (10) Sinui Hamseong (7) Echo Zone (8) Good Cabo
Next Best4, 9
Fast Start2, 4, 6, 8

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 25 Million

(8) SUCCESS BAEKPA is set to be one of the shorter priced favourites of the day. He has steadily improved across three starts to date, culminating in a 3rd place in a quick time over 1300M on November 10th. In this company, he can set up camp behind the early speed and he should prove too strong at the business end of the race. (3) DAESEUNGNIJA has similarly shown promise across his three appearances so far. He has settled back and run on but there is a total absence of known early speed in this race so from a good gate, he may be ridden closer to the front this time and should be in this a long way. (9) WIN STING is yet to finish in the top two in twenty appearances, but he has posted some decent times for this distance, and this is the kind of company in which he can record a money finish. (2) BLACK FALCON and (6) ALLURE other minor money hopes.

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Hangang Class, Nice Time, Lala K Vie for Champion Juvenile Crown While Wonderful Slew Heads Breeders’ Cup Queen Field Sunday

Busan hosts its final big races of the season on Sunday and it’s a double header as the countries best juveniles come together for the first time to contest the G2 Breeders’ Cup Rookie. An hour later, the older fillies and mares get a final chance in 2023 to run for a big prize in a new race on the calendar for this year, the Listed Breeders’ Cup Queen.

Hangang Class (Pic: KRA)

A full field of sixteen will take their chance in the Breeders’ Cup Rookie (1400M KOR-G2) HANGANG CLASS has earned his probable favourite status. He ran 4th behind Baekduui Kkum (who last week easily confirmed her Champion Juvenile Filly Status) in the Rookie Stakes before storming away with the Gimhae Mayor’s Trophy in a Korea Sprint worthy time on November 5th. He seems to be getting better with every run and trainer Gu Min-sung’s exciting galloper will be expected to be on the pace here with every chance of going all the way.

LALA K comes in having won three of his four outings, that last to first score in the Rookie Stakes in August being the highlight. After defeat to Nice Time in Munhwa Ilbo Trophu, he bounced back into form with an off the pace score in the Nonghyup Chairman’s Trophy. His running style certainly suggests that as the distances get longer, so can he, and Song Moon-gil’s charge should relish his first crack at further than 1200M.

Lala K (Pic: KRA)

That step up in trip can help DOCTOR KINGDOM too. While he only has one win to his name, he ran 2nd in all three of the Rookie Stakes, the Areumdaun Jilju Stakes and the Gimhae Mayor’s Trophy. He has five-lengths to make up on Hangang Class, but that extra furlong can be in his favour.

NICE TIME is three for three with the highlight being his off the pace win in the Munhwa Ilbo Trophy, when he swooped home late to deny Eclipse Berry and Lala K and secure a first big race win for second-year trainer Moon Byeong-ki. He hasn’t raced since so comes in fresh off a nine-week layoff and it’s not impossible that he could maintain his 100% record.

Alongside Nice Time, MEGA DRAGON and RAON TIMOTH are both unbeaten in two starts apiece. Both face much stiffer tests than anything they have previously experienced here. Accordingly, it might be Doctor Kingdom’s stablemate in the Baik Kwang-yeol barn, DOCTOR BOWN, who skipped the opening Juvenile Series races but was a super all the way winner over a mile at class 4 level last time out, who has the best chance of causing an upset.

The Breeders’ Cup Queen (1800M KOR-Listed) attracts a strong field for its inaugural running, but three-year-old WONDERFUL SLEW looks hard to beat. Luigi Riccardi’s filly ran 3rd in the Korean Oaks and 2nd in the Gyeonggi Governor’s Cup, the final two legs of the Triple Tiara, but got her stakes race reward when winning the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup over 2000M at this track on October 29th, beating plenty of today’s rivals in the process. Still lightly raced, there looks to be plenty more to come.

Wonderful Slew (KRA)

The Triple Tiara was swept by JEULGEOUNYEOJEONG, and she is still perhaps the most talented in the field. She has had such a hard season though. After winning the Tiara, she beat the boys at Class 1 level in August before a dominant win in the Jeju Governor’s Cup in September. While she was 3rd in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup behind Wonderful Slew in October, it looked a race too far. Not as far as the President’s Cup did three weeks ago although she still ran a creditable 8th of sixteen behind Winner’s Man.

Jeulgeounyeojeong is asked to go again here and while it would take a heroic effort after such a season, her class may see her through. Seo Seung-un gets back aboard for the first time since having to climb off her on the morning of her Triple Tiara first leg win.

SUCCESS TIME split Wonderful Slew and Jeulgeounyeojeong in the Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup and should be a factor again, while Ttukseom Cup winner RAON THE SPURT isn’t to be dismissed either.

The Breeders’ Cup Rookie is race 5 at Busan on Sunday with a local post time of 16:00 while the Breeders’ Cup Queen is race 6 at 17:00.