Day: April 2, 2025

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (April 4)

The 2025 Triple Crown gets underway with the KRA Cup Mile this Sunday but in the meantime, the action gets underway at Busan on Friday with an 8-race card from 11:25 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Fillies only in this maiden. (5) YEONGGWANGUI HONEY overcame a slow start to run 5th on debut and then improved to 3rd at start number two over this distance on February 14th when settling midfield and running on. Third-up she can be peaking and with Seo Seung-un engaged, today should be the day. (9) NAMYANG RUBY ran twice last autumn and showed some ability with a 3rd and a 2nd. She races for the first time since November but looked well enough in a March trial and can be close here. There are two debut-makers and among them, (11) WONDERFUL SMART improved significantly in the second of two trials (it was voluntary so may not be in all racecards, but she ran 4th in 62.3 for the 1000M). If she brings that form to the races, she can go close. (8) TEUTA and (4) GWANGPUNG STAR others who can get better.

Selections(5) Yeonggwangui Honey (9) Namyang Ruby (11) Wonderful Smart (8) Teuta
Next Best4, 6
Fast Start4, 6, 7, 11

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(4) MEANINGFUL TIME ran 4th over 1300M on debut on February 14th (behind Yeonggwangui Honey who was due to go in race 1), overcoming a wide draw to finish off well. He should have come on for that run, the step up to a mile can suit, and he can win here. (5) CHAMP SONNY ran 3rd at start two in February and then beat a couple of these on March 14th when stepped up to a mile and leading for much of the way around before ultimately finishing 5th. He can be on the speed again here and can go closer this time. (3) FLYING CHAMPION raced four times last summer and autumn with a best of 2nd. He races for the first time in five months and while he didn’t offer many clues in a March trial and a mile isn’t easy first-up, if he shows his previous ability, he won’t be far away. (6) DORAON SAMSON and (1) CAPTAIN KOREA other place chances.

Selections(4) Meaningful Time (5) Champ Sonny (3) Flying Champion (6) Doraon Samson
Next Best1, 2
Fast Start1, 2, 5, 6

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(8) FLYING THE LUCKY hasn’t won since his debut but has several recent near misses including last time out when 3rd at this class and distance on March 7th. He tends to get a bit far back but if he can be a little handier here, he can win. He gets a 3kg weight swing on that day’s winner (10) FAT BOY, who emerged out of the same gate as today and settled handy before taking things up turning for home. He has to deal with that additional weight, but a repeat wouldn’t surprise. (2) STAR PARK is a twenty-two-race maiden but has been getting closer and he was 2nd in that March 7th race. He comes up slightly in weight, but draws nicely, Munro gets on for the first time, and he should be there or thereabouts again. (12) PINOT POWER and (4) POMPEII among other chances.

Selections(8) Flying The Lucky (10) Fat Boy (2) Star Park (12) Pinot Power
Next Best4, 6
Fast Start1, 2, 10, 12

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(10) FLY TO THE MOON is yet to win in five attempts but has been getting progressively closer and enters off back-to-back runner-up finishes, most recently at this class and distance on March 23rd when drawn even wider than today. He may need a touch of luck at the start but if he can find a forward position, today can be his day. (7) JINJU BIT returned in January following six months out and has steadily improved across three starts back, most recently when 4th on March 7th. He’ll be on pace here and can be in this a long way. (12) DOCTOR HAPPY was an on-pace 2nd at this class and distance on March 9th. She is up 2kg in weight and she has the challenge of the widest gate here but can follow Fly To The Moon across to the speed and be a danger. (8) BLUE THUNDER and (5) GRAND DREAM others in the placing hunt.

Selections(10) Fly To The Moon (7) Jinju Bit (12) Doctor Happy (8) Blue Thunder
Next Best5, 4
Fast Start7, 8, 10, 12

Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

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April Racing: Two late Start Saturdays, Triple Crown Opener, International Interest in YTN, Roads to Korea Cup/Sprint Continue

The racing season hits its stride in April with top races in all divisions.

Fair to note just 2 days out from the festival, there are no blossoms out as yet

Kicking things off is the first leg of the 2025 Triple Crown with the KRA Cup Mile (1600M KOR-G2) at Busan on Sunday April 6th. With a week to go twenty colts remained entered with that number to be whittled down to a maximum of sixteen.

The following week, the domestic Road to the Korea Sprint continues at Seoul with the second leg of the Sprint Series, the SBS Sports Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) on April 14th. The first leg in Busan last month was won by Vincero Cavallo and he and the rest of the usual sprinting suspects are set to reassemble in Seoul.

Also on the second weekend of the month, six valuable international trophy exchange races – three at Seoul and three at Busan – will be run.

The highlight of the month may well be the YTN Cup (2000M KOR-G3). The second leg of the Stayer Series on the domestic Road to the Korea Cup should see Global Hit making his return to local racing action following his 3rd place in the Al Maktoum Classic at Meydan.

This year the race is given an added level of intrigue by the entry of Japan-trained Yumeno Honoo. A superstar at his home track of Kochi, Yumeno Honoo is a winner of eighteen races but is yet to travel, even to another NAR track in Japan.

The YTN Cup is one of several Korean races that are Listed in the International Blue Book and open to overseas runners but as open races (rather than invitational like the Korea Cup and Sprint), connections are responsible for their own travel costs which can be prohibitively high. The last overseas horse to take part in such a race was Esmeraldina, who won the Ttukseom Cup in 2015.

It’s the Ttukseom Cup (1400M KOR-G2) that rounds out the April action on Sunday 27th at Seoul, the second leg of the Queens’ Tour Spring/Summer.

The first two Saturdays (5th and 13th) of the month will have an amended schedule with the first race at Seoul being 1.25pm and the last at 8pm, due to the annual cherry blossom festival. Race times on Friday and Sunday will remain normal.  See https://kra-festival.com/ for more info.