With Seoul taking its one week summer break, Busan flies solo on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday sees a 9-race card from 10:35 to 18:00. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
(5) ROAD TO FIGHTER ran a close 3rd in debut on July 5th in a quick race over 1000M. He should have come on for that experience, the additional furlong can suit, and he can be the one to beat here. (6) GRAND DREAM beat Road To Fighter when winning a June trial before acquitting himself solidly on debut on June 21st when 3rd over this distance. It wasn’t a fast race but with some natural improvement here, he is the main danger. (3) STORM GRIT didn’t do much on debut but has since registered a very close 2nd and a slightly more distance 3rd in two subsequent efforts. He has the fastest time among the four of these who have attempted this distance already and he should be in the mix again. The form drops off after those three with (8) TRIPLE J and (4) FAT BOY the other placing chances.
| Selections | (5) Road To Fighter (6) Grand Dream (3) Storm Grit (8) Triple J |
| Next Best | 4, 1 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 6 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Small but competitive field with a few of them looking ready to win. (7) NEW LEADER has made steady progress across three starts so far, culminating in a runner-up finish over 1400M in a filly-only maiden on July 19th. In this company, she should be on pace, Munro climbs on, and she can go one better. (2) LASER GRIT and (4) B.K. MARON came home 2nd and 3rd respectively when they raced each other at this distance on July 7th. Both had been on an upward trajectory leading up to that and both can be in the mix again. (3) SKY ARCH was 4th in that same race having been ridden a bit further forward than in previous outings. She can be in this a long way too. (1) PINOT POWER the best of the rest.
| Selections | (7) New Leader (2) Laser Grit (4) B.K. Maron (3) Sky Arch |
| Next Best | 1, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(6) BEOLMAUI ACE debuted without distinction last November but didn’t re-appear until this June when running 2nd over 1200M. He then got his maiden win at start number three over 1300M on July 12th, racing on pace. He comes up in class and slightly in trip but third-up he can be peaking fitness wise, and he can win again. (4) UNJU GUY ran 2nd on debut in June before getting his maiden win at start number wo when stepped up to this distance n July 14th, showing on pace throughout. He too comes up in class but is in under a light weight and can measure up. (8) NEOM CITY is still winless but comes up in class having run 2nd to Unju Guy in that July 14th race. She comes down in the weights and can be competitive. (7) CAPTAIN EVERYTHING and (3) BEST BOY others in the hunt.
| Selections | (6) Beolmaui Ace (4) Unju Guy (8) Neom City (7) Captain Everything |
| Next Best | 3, 5 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 6, 8 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(4) GOAT KING IJI is yet to win in six starts but enters having overcome a wide draw to run a fair 5th on his first try at this class over 1800M on July 19th. He comes back to the distance at which he recorded his two best finishes and under a light weight and from a good gate, he can make the breakthrough here. (5) MORO made the breakthrough at the twenty-fourth time of asking at this class and distance on July 5th. He only comes up 1kg in the weights and lightning could strike twice. (2) SUPER CRACK and (1) HWARANG ACE come in having run 2nd and 4th respectively when racing one another at this class and distance on July 7th. The former is a non-winner, and the latter has won just the once, but both can be in the placing mix. (8) YEONSEUNG BRAVO another to consider for the minors.
| Selections | (4) Goat King Iji (5) Moro (2) Super Crack (1) Hwarang Ace |
| Next Best | 8, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(4) HANEUL EUTTEUM has been slow away in both his latest two starts and most recently disappointed at the start of June following which he was ordered back to trial. He looked very good trialling up in mid-July and if he brings that form to the races – and if he jumps out well – he can win. (8) TAURUS KING got sent back to trial two starts back for his racing manners, but he returned to action well when 3rd in a quick race at this class and distance on July 12th, racing on pace. Seo Seung-un climbs up and he can be a big danger here. (5) NAEPYEON is up in class having recorded his maiden win on July 5th over 1200M. He is down in the weights and draws well and could offer some interest at an each-way price. (3) META PRINCESS and (6) HAERANG YEONGUNG others in the hunt.
| Selections | (4) Haneul Eutteum (8) Taurus King (5) Naepyeon (3) Meta Princess |
| Next Best | 6, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 5, 6, 7 |
Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(7) RUBY STONE has been a model of consistency across her seven starts to date and comes in following 3rd place in a very quick race at this class and distance on July 14th when she used up plenty of energy to get to the lead from a wide draw. She remains lightly weighted and from a better gate, she can win here. That will mean overturning the form on (5) B.K. ZENA, who came from off the pace to win that July 14th race at odds of nearly 25/1. She comes up 2.5kg in the weights, but the manner of that victory means she warrants some respect here. Solitary debut-maker (4) DRAGON REVENGER went through two trials finishing 2nd in the first of them at the end of June before running 3rd in a very quick heat on July 20th (which was voluntary so won’t appear in all racecards). If he brings that form to the races, he has every chance. (3) HONORED KHAN and (1) WORLD FIVE are other place chances.
| Selections | (7) Ruby Stone (5) B.K. Zena (4) Dragon Revenger (3) Honored Khan |
| Next Best | 1, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 7, 9 |
Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(4) YOUR TURN won her first two races in May and June to get rapidly promoted to this class before running a solid 4th on her first try at this level over 1400M on July 5th. She comes up to a mile for the first time but is nicely drawn and weighted and there is no reason why it can’t suit. (6) YONG GUN is a winner of just one from nineteen but enters with recent form reading well following a 3rd and a 2nd from his latest two, most recently at this class and distance on July 7th. He comes up 1.5kg in the weights but shapes as the main danger. (7) AMAZING BOSS was an also-ran in this year’s Korean Oaks and was sent back to trial for her manners after her latest start in July when 4th over 1400M. She completed her trial well and can be in the mix here. (1) BLACK VOLT and (2) SEVEN DRAGON others in the frame.
| Selections | (4) Your Turn (6) Yong Gun (7) Amazing Boss (1) Black Volt |
| Next Best | 2, 5 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 6, 7 |
Busan Race 8: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
Competitive race. (7) HWANGU FIGHTER returned from nine months out to run 3rd at class and distance on June 30th. He has never finished any worse than 5th in fourteen starts and with him likely to strip fitter for that run, he can win this. (4) DALBITSANYANGKKUN stepped up to this distance on June 21st and got his maiden win in fine style. He comes up in class but is down in the weights and he has every chance of backing up. (6) GREAT WINNER comes in having finished a creditable 5th in the final leg of the Triple Crown over 2000M in June. He has won at this distance already and is the probable pacesetter here and he can be in it a long way. (3) BEOLMAUI YEONGUNG and (10) BACKTOTHELEGEND are among plenty of others with at least placing chances.
| Selections | (7) Hwangu Fighter (4) Dalbitsanyangkkun (6) Great Winner (3) Beolmaui Yeongung |
| Next Best | 10, 8 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 6, 10 |
Busan Race 9: Class 2 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 90 Million
(4) YEONGGWANGUI ACE won back-to-back races in April and May to get promoted to this class before running 2nd on his first Class 2 outing over this distance on June 28th when from a wide gate he came from off the pace and almost got there. He comes up 2kg in the weights, but that’s balanced a little by a better draw, and he will be favoured to go one better. (5) KING ANYDAY has won his latest two, both at this distance. He comes up in class but is down in the weights and can measure up. (1) DOCTOR BROWN had a poor day at the office last time out but was a winner at this class over 1400M in May and can be given another chance here. (3) HANGANG SAVER and (7) CARPE BABEL others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (4) Yeonggwangui Ace (5) King Anyday (1) Doctor Brown (3) Hangang Saver |
| Next Best | 7, 2 |
| Fast Start | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Horse Racing in Korea 