Day: April 8, 2026

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

The weekend’s racing gets underway at Busan on Friday with an 8-race card from 11:15 to 17:55. Here are the previews:

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Maidens with three of the ten racing for the first time. (4) NINETEEN NINE WON has raced twice and finished 2nd twice in filly only maidens, both over this trip, first showing handy and then coming from midfield. She should be on pace and against this set of opponents, she should have far too much. (3) NORTHERN QUEEN has a 4th place on her record and while she only managed 7th of twelve last time out over 1300M when she was on pace, she did beat a couple of today’s rivals. Back in trip today, she should be closer. (1) SO POWERFULL did nothing in three starts last year and not all that much on his return on March 13th. He should strip fitter for that run though and can improve. Debut-makers (9) AEGIS CHEONMA and (8) UNJU DAEBAK are two debut-makers who hinted at ability in trials.

Selections(4) Nineteen Nine Won (3) Northern Queen (1) So Powerfull (9) Aegis Cheonma
Next Best8, 6
Fast Start1, 3, 8, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Competitive maiden. (5) OASIS HAPPY did nothing on debut at the end of last year but agter going back to trial, was a much-improved 2nd on March 15th when he ran on from midfield and beat three of today’s rivals. He stays under an apprentice claim, and he can go one better today. (4) NICE MYEONGGA has a 2nd and two 4th places from three starts so far, finishing off her races well. She comes up to the 1400M for the first time, and it can suit.  (11) THEMIS stepped up to this trip for the first time on March 6th and recorded her best finish to date when an on-pace 2nd. She has the challenge of a wider draw this time, but she can be in the finish again. (1) WONDERFUL BAND and (6) STRONG WINNER among others firmly in the frame.

Selections(5) Oasis Happy (4) Nice Myeongga (11) Themis (1) Wonderful Band
Next Best6, 7
Fast Start3, 4, 9, 11

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

After two good trials, (9) WONDERFUL FASHION ran 2nd on debut over 1400M on March 15th, racing handy throughout and beating a couple who re-oppose here. He should have come on for the run, the step up to a mile can suit, and he is favoured to go one better today. (10) DOKKI TIGER was one of those back down the field on that March 15th race when she got a long way back from a wide draw and never threatened. We’ll go on her 3rd place two starts ago and give her another chance here on what is her first try at a mile and Seo Seung-un’s first time up. (5) DOLGYEOK SPECIAL comes in off three consecutive  4th place finishes, most recently on her first try at this distance on March 20th and she can be aiming to at least match that here. (1) QUEEN THE GOLD and (12) DOCTOR CARA can arrest recent slumps.

Selections(9) Wonderful Fashion (10) Dokki Tiger (5) Dolgyeok Special (1) Queen The Gold
Next Best12, 2
Fast Start1, 2, 9, 12

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

(2) ROAD TO CLEO was a winner on debut last October before rounding out her juvenile campaign with two very average runs and was lame after the latter. She looked very well when going through a March 26th trial and first-up from a good draw, she has every chance. (10) MAGIC SWEETIE got her second career win at start twenty-nine in January before following up with 2nd place ahead of a couple of these on March 8th. She carries 3.5kg more than when she won, but she’s clearly in form and can be close. (3) B K. SPIRIT has been well backed on both her last two starts but has disappointed both times with not a huge amount of excuses bar a wide gate last time. He was 2nd at this class and distance in December and from a good draw can get forward and go much better. (5) TAEYANG EUTTEUM and (9) STORM POINT perhaps the best of an out of form rest.

Selections(2) Road To Cleo (10) Magic Sweetie (3) B K. Spirit (5) Taeyang Eutteum
Next Best9, 6
Fast Start2, 3, 5, 11

Busan Race 5: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

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CLEARLY WINNER LANDS KIM HYE-SUN FIRST STAKES WIN AS TRAINER – WITH HUSBAND PARK JAE-I ABOARD

Trainer Kim Hye-sun and jockey Park Jae-i became the first wife and husband to win a Korean Stakes race together as CLEARLY WINNER produced a comfortable victory in the Luna Stakes (1600M KOR-Listed) – the “Korean 1000 Guineas” – the first leg of the 2026 Triple Tiara, at Busan Racecourse on Sunday afternoon.

Clearly Winner with Park Jae-i and Kim Hye-sun (Pic: KRA)

After a fair start, CLEARLY WINNER travelled easily behind a pace set by CHIEF STAR, who jumped the favourite despite her previous troubles with the barrier. Clearly Winner easily went past a tiring Chief Star and the game SHACKLE SUN in the final furlong to ease away to win by three-lengths. Long-shots FAPPI BABE and CATCH RACE arrived from well off the pace to run 2nd and 3rd.

Clearly Winner won her first two races in fine style at the end of last summer but then suffered a setback and didn’t race again until this February. By that time, her original trainer Kim Hyo-seok had handed back his license and Kim Hye-sun, who had been waiting for boxes since passing the trainer’s exam, had an unexpectedly fast promotion from the riding to the training ranks.

Now under Kim Hye-sun’s care, Clearly Winner returned to action in style, winning at class 4 before finishing 3rd behind Clutch Winner and Hey Brother in the Gyeongnam Shinmun (1400M Listed) at the start of March.

For jockey Park Jae-i, it was a fourth Stakes race win having a G3 and G2 along with another Listed race already to his name. For his trainer – and his wife – Kim Hye-sun, it was a first Stakes race win since getting her training license at the end of last year.

“I think it’s harder to watch than to ride, so from a viewer’s perspective I was very nervous” Kim Hye-sun told KRBC.

“I saw (Clearly Winner) move back a bit on the corner, so for a moment I wondered if she had got tired or maybe there was something we hadn’t thought about, but at the same time, it didn’t look as though the two in front would keep going at that speed.”

“I’m married to the jockey, so we were able to have plenty of opportunities for a somewhat detailed conversation as to the race but today I didn’t say much, and we got a good result.”

As for jockey Park, he admitted to having some pre-race concerns: “She had only raced up to 1400M, and I had a feeling the pace would be strong early so there was a chance of kickback” but, he added “it went well.”

Clearly Winner is by Hansen and out of Pokpung Hero (by Henny Hughes). She was bred by Jang Yong-seok of Yujeong Farm and races in the colours of owner Shin Woo-cheol.

The second leg of the Triple Tiara is the big one, the Korean Oaks (1800M KOR-G2) back at Busan on Sunday May 10th. Next week the Sprint Series resumes with Vincero Cavallo set to head the field as he defends his title in the SBS Sports Sprint (1200M KOR-G3) at Seoul.

KOREA RACING REPORT: APRIL 3-5 “CHERRY BLOSSOM EDITION”

CUPID IT bounced back to his best with an outstanding front-running win over the 1200M in the last race on Sunday and in doing so recorded his first Class 2 victory (writes Luke Humphreys).

Cupid It (Hansen) bounced back from a couple of disappointing efforts since being promoted to this level to trounce a competitive field by four-lengths as a 2.6 favourite. He looks class 1 bound sooner or later.

The victory of Cupid It meant a double on the card for jockey Lee Hyeok who also landed race 2 (1300M Class 6) with the 2.1 favourite QUERENCIA (Concord Point) which in contrast to Cupid It came from back in the field.

In the penultimate race, the Luigi Riccardi prepared WHITE CARLA (Old Fashioned) led throughout to land race 9 (1800M Class 3) holding off the challenge of favourite Blue Nello by a half-length to make it two wins from his last four starts both of them over the Seoul 1800M.

Riccardi prepared a double on the program after earlier success in race 5 (1200M Class 5) with MASTER KWAIGON (Dynamic Dash) who scored by two-lengths as a 2.2 favourite.

THE EXCELLENT (New Legend) was a big winner of race 6 (1300M Class 5) coming from near last to win by an extending two-and-a-half lengths under Yoo Seung-wan. He adopted his usual racing pattern of coming from towards the rear and stormed home to account for the 1.9 favourite Superday.

There was multiple success on the card for Lee Joon-chel who for the second consecutive day had a race-to-race training double thanks to the victories of QUEENS FLYING (Chrysolite) in race 3 (1400M Class 6) and DANAEUN STAR (Afleet Express) in race 4 (1400M Class 5).

Danaeun Star bounced back after being behind three opposing rivals when last seen at the end of February and led throughout to win by two-lengths as a well supported 3.3 favourite over Mighty Beat, the late closing Gwanaksan Champ and Raon Blaide.

BUSAN HAD THE FEATURE RACE OF THE WEEKEND ON SUNDAY WITH CLEARLY WINNER SCORING IN THE LUNA STAKES BUT ON THE UNDERCARD WOLFS KING MAN was a marathon winner of the afternoon’s principal handicap.

Wolfs King Man (Great Success), who started the 3.2 second favourite, sat on the outside of the leader Unju Challenge, 1.8 favourite, and put him to the sword at the top of the straight. He got tired late after doing all the work in the 1800M Class 3 contest but held on just from the late challenge of Tamna Super who failed by a head. The time of 1:52.9 was only just outside of the class record on the fast track.

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