Day: June 25, 2025

Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (June 27)

Friday’s racing is at Busan with 8 races from 11:25 to 18:00. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(4) SHACKLE SUN has picked up in his latest two, with a 2nd and a 4th place at 1300M and at this distance. From a good draw, he can get a soft run to the lead here, and he can win this. (6) SEUNGCHUNHANEUNHAE is second up following four months off and has already beaten plenty of these.  He should strip fitter for his May run and go close. (10) CRUELLA enters off a best to date 3rd place at this distance on May 25th when racing handy throughout. She had a similarly wide gate that day and she can be a danger here. (11) FLYING ICE has nine top five finishes from seventeen starts so far including a 3rd place at this distance. His recent work has been over a mile so he may appreciate the drop back in trip and can be there or thereabouts again. (7) REAL RESPECT another in the hunt.

Selections(4) Shackle Sun (6) Seungchunhaneunhae (10) Cruella (11) Flying Ice
Next Best7, 8
Fast Start4, 6, 8, 10

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 30 Million

(1) STUKA has two 3rd place finishes and a 4th from his four starts so far, that latter coming when sent off as favourite over a mile on May 30th. He comes back to 1400M for the first time, draws well to lead, and he can go all the way. (7) MEANINGFUL TIME enters off a close 2nd place at start number three over this distance on May 4th when racing on pace. Seo Seung-un stays aboard and he should be a big danger here. (6) SUN LIGHT has a 3rd and a 4th from her latest two, coming from well off the pace both times and she can be involved late on again here. (3) LIKE DRAGON and (5) WIND ROSE are among plenty of others who have hinted at ability.

Selections(1) Stuka (7) Meaningful Time (6) Sun Light (3) Like Dragon
Next Best5, 9
Fast Start1, 2, 3, 8

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(1) STAR FORCE laid in for the final 300M last time out over this distance on May 18th to the extent she got sent back to trial. It didn’t stop her from finishing a close 2nd though and having come through the trial, if she behaves herself this time, she can win. (2) DIA MATE stepped up to this distance for the first time on June 13th and registered her best finish so far with a 3rd place coming from off the pace. She makes a quick return and can build on that here. (5) BORYEONGJEOKTOMA has beaten a few of these in his latest two, both times running 3rd at this distance and he can be there or thereabouts again. (10) GRACE CAL and (3) HOUND POKER, both tackling the mile for the first time, are others to consider.

Selections(1) Star Force (2) Dia Mate (5) Boryeongjeoktoma (10) Grace Cal
Next Best3, 11
Fast Start1, 8, 9, 11

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(2) INDY GHOST stepped up to this distance on April 18th and got her maiden win on what was her fifth career start, leading all the way. It was at this class, so she comes up 3kg in weight, but she draws nicely to lead again, and she can repeat. (5) YURIM SKY was a maiden winner over a mile two starts back, before running a solid 2nd on his first try at this class and distance on May 30th. He can settle behind the speed here and can be in the finish again. (4) TOHAMSAN TAEYANG ran in the Korean Oaks in May and then beat a couple of these on her return to shallower waters at a mile on June 8th. She continues under a light weight, and she can be in the mix. (3) FLYING THE KHAN and (8) PHANTOM KING others in the frame.

Selections(2) Indy Ghost (5) Yurim Sky (4) Tohamsan Taeyang (3) Flying The Khan
Next Best8, 6
Fast Start2, 4, 7, 8

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

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BUSAN’S FIRST ERA CONCLUDES AS TRAINER KIM YOUNG-KWAN AND JOCKEY YOU HYUN-MYUNG RETIRE

As Busan Racecourse approaches its twenty-year anniversary, the first era of the southern track is over with the most successful trainer of the past two decades Kim Young-kwan, and its most significant jockey You Hyun-myung, both retiring this coming Sunday.

Kim Young-kwan (left) and You Hyun-myung (2nd right) celebrate Blue Chipper’s 2019 Korea Sprint win with owner Choi Byung-bu and then KRA CEO Kim Nag-soon (Pic: KRA)

An aspiring jockey in the mid 1970’s, Kim Young-kwan realized at an early stage that he wasn’t going to make it in the saddle and switched to horse management and training. He finally got his Trainer’s License in 2024 and was among the original line-up of trainers to be based at Busan when it opened in 2005.

Kim went on to win the Busan Trainer’s Championship thirteen times, saddled a Triple Crown winner, won races overseas, and in all won fifty-five Group races, a record that under the current structure of racing in Korea, seems unlikely to ever be repeated.

Fillies have bookended his career. Luna, Busan’s first real star racehorse, was responsible for his first three group wins between 2005 and 2007, while Jeulgeounyeojoeng provided six out of his last seven between 2023 and this year, the last coming in the Ttukseom Cup at Seoul in April.

Kim also trained three fillies to win the Korean Derby, Sangseung Ilro in 2010, Speedy First in 2013 and Queen’s Blade in 2014. That was back in the days when the calendar allowed the best fillies to compete in the Derby as well as the Oaks. He also trained another filly, Gamdonguibada, to win the Grand Prix Stakes in 2012.

The Triple Crown would be won with Power Blade in 2016 while Triple Nine, who would become his stablemate’s great rival, won four consecutive President’s Cups. Kim also prepared Blue Chipper to win the Korea Sprint in 2019 while Mister Park won a Grand Prix on his way to a Korean record of seventeen consecutive victories.

Overseas, Kim was the first Korea trainer to saddle a Dubai Carnival winner when Main Stay scored in 2017. He also took Blue Chipper to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita in 2019 where he ran 3rd behind Spun To Run and Omaha Beach.   Power Blade and Triple Nine also both ran with credit in Dubai.

The first Korean trainer to reach 1000 winners, Kim has 1539 in total from 7045 runners but has chances to add to it this coming weekend.

You Hyun-myung’s first Group race win also came with Luna, who he partnered in the 2006 Gyeongnam Governor’s Cup. You became a jockey at Seoul in 2002 and transferred to Busan on its opening. He was champion jockey at the track four times between 2014 and 2019.

You also paired up with Kim Young-kwan for his two Group 1 wins: Mister Park in the 2010 Grand Prix and Blue Chipper in the Korea Sprint. While he didn’t ride a Korean Derby winner, he secured plenty of other Classics, most recently with Success Baekpa in the 2024 KRA Cup Mile and Minister’s Cup.

In total, You, who is not scheduled to ride this weekend, rode 1253 winners from 7559 rides.

Also retiring this weekend are Seoul trainers An Hae-yang and Yoo Jae-gil. An saddled two Korean Oaks winners, Amaranth in 2003 and Uaryung in 2020. Yoo’s sole Group success came with Gwacheon Ruler in the 2007 SROA Chairman’s Trophy. Busan’s Yang Kui-sun is also saying his farewells this weekend after saddling 430 winners.