It’s Korean Oaks weekend on the south coast and while the big race for fillies is on Sunday, the weekend’s action gets underway at Busan on Friday with 8 races from 11:35 to 17:55. Here are the previews:
Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
Competitive opener. (7) DOKKI TIGER is yet to finish in the top two but has four finishes between 3rd and 5th. She comes in following a 4th place over a mile on April 10th and she has as good a chance as any here. The danger is (2) GOLD ROGER. She raced fairly enough in her first two but was much improved at start three on March 29th when stepped up to this trip and running an on-pace 2nd. From a good draw she’ll be on pace again and she may well start as favourite. (8) SWEET POWER beat three of today’s rivals on his way to a significantly improved 2nd place at this distance on April 10th and with a bang in form apprentice claiming 2kg, he can be in the finish again. (4) WORLD THUNDER CAT and (1) NICE POWER are the other main place chances.
| Selections | (7) Dokki Tiger (2) Gold Roger (8) Sweet Power (4) World Thunder Cat |
| Next Best | 1, 9 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 6, 8 |
Busan Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million
After six winners last weekend, apprentice Nam Jeong-hyeok has the veritable Midas Touch and his 2kg claim can see (6) DIA X home on top. A seventeen-start maiden, he has been knocking on the door recently, he has the fastest time among these for this distance, and he can win here. (11) QUEEN PERFECT also benefits from an apprentice claim. She has been getting closer across her five starts to date, culminating in a 3rd place at this distance on March 22nd, and she can be a danger here with the wide draw not likely to be a problem. (5) DUBAI CANDY enters off a 3rd place last time out and she too looks to be figuring things out. (9) DALBITWIE and (4) WONDERFUL BAND others in the placing frame.
| Selections | (6) Dia X (11) Queen Perfect (5) Dubai Candy (9) Dalbitwie |
| Next Best | 4, 1 |
| Fast Start | 2, 8, 9, 11 |
Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(5) WONDERFUL FASHION ran 2nd on debut before getting his maiden win at start two over a mile on April 10th, beginning steadily before making his way rapidly forward. He comes up in both class and in distance, but he looks to have potential for more and down in weight, he can win here. (6) SOMANGUIGIL is a non-winner of twelve but has ten top five finishes and comes in off a 2nd and a 3rd at this class over a mile. He was 5th on his only previous try at this distance but he should be closer today. (8) NEOM CITY beat Somanguigil in that previous go around this distance and while she hasn’t held her form, this is the kind of race she can go close in. (9) K ROYAL and (7) BEOLGYO SARANG are others who should be in the placing hunt.
| Selections | (5) Wonderful Fashion (6) Somanguigil (8) Neom City (9) K Royal |
| Next Best | 7, 3 |
| Fast Start | 4, 5, 6, 9 |
Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(4) GRAND CRU got his maiden win at 1300M three starts back and has run 3rd in two tries at this level over a mile and most recently at this distance on April 10th when racing handy throughout and beating a couple of today’s rivals. He really should have the beating of these. Nothing else enters in any form. (2) MUHAN NAREUSHA needs a line drawn through his latest when well back over a mile, but he has placed twice over this distance and he was 4th in Busan’s Classic trial at the start of March so he warrants another chance here. (5) THEIA too missed the start last time and is worth another chance in this company. (7) MAGIC MIRROR and (9) DOROTHY QUEEN others who may be better than their respective latest starts suggest.
| Selections | (4) Grand Cru (2) Muhan Nareusha (5) Theia (7) Magic Mirror |
| Next Best | 9, 3 |
| Fast Start | 2, 4, 5, 7 |
Busan Race 5: Class 4 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million
(1) SEONGSIL DREAM won back-to-back races at 1200M and 1400M to get rapidly promoted to this class and then ran a fair 5th behind King’s King on his first try at this class and distance on April 3rd when drawn very wide. He stays under a light weight and from a much better gate, he can be a big chance. (5) CHAMP SONNY returned from a lengthy absence to win at class 5 level over 1200M in March before finishing 2nd at this class at 1400M on April 12th, with a couple of today’s rivals behind. He’ll be a danger today. (3) OASIS WICKY enters off a 2nd place last time out and can be in the finish again. (8) TIGER MONSTER and (2) SEOGWI OREUM others in the hunt.
| Selections | (1) Seongsil Dream (5) Champ Sonny (3) Oasis Wicky (8) Tiger Monster |
| Next Best | 2, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 4, 7, 8 |
Busan Race 6: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million
(8) ARI DRAGON is a winner of four from six including his latest three, most recently over a mile at this class on April 12th when handy throughout. He is up in weight here and up to 1800M for the first time, but he can be equal to both those challenges and continue on his merry way here. The danger is (2) RAON THE MASKE. Experienced at this level, he has returned to form with back-to-back runner-up finishes at this class over a mile and having won at this distance already, he can go close. (6) BEST BOY is rarely far away, and he should be in the finish again. (3) DANGDAE STAR and (7) THE BEST EVER are others who have at least solid place claims.
| Selections | (8) Ari Dragon (2) Raon The Maske (6) Best Boy (3) Dangdae Star |
| Next Best | 7, 4 |
| Fast Start | 2, 3, 5, 8 |
Busan Race 7: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
Fillies and mares only here. (9) CHEONNYEONDOR took plenty of trials to get to the races, but it was worth the wait as she won on debut over 1300M on March 27th, settling handy early before quickly taking things up and scoring comfortably. She is up in class and distance here and even slightly up in weight, but she can win again. (8) DEMETER ran midfield on debut before winning at start number two in a filly maiden over 1300M on April 5th when on pace throughout. She is up in class and slightly in trip, but she has every chance of measuring up. (5) YURIM ACE comes in with recent form reading fairly and she can be in the finish. (1) DAEGILUI KKUM and (2) GLOBAL HEROINE are other place chances.
| Selections | (9) Cheonnyeondor (8) Demeter (5) Yurim Ace (1) Daegilui Kkum |
| Next Best | 2, 4 |
| Fast Start | 1, 5, 8, 9 |
Busan Race 8: Class 5 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million
(3) DAEROUI BIT has a win and three placings from five attempts at this distance and while she struggled last time, she was found to be slightly lame. She’s been back in work since April 24th and is well worth another chance here. It’s a fresh start for (2) SONGJEONG TODAY, who has been through three trials since her latest race and has shown ability. She draws well and can go well first up. (9) JOY OF QUEEN was runner-up in both her first two to get promoted this class and while she has been well back in two subsequent efforts at this level, she is under a very light weight and should be ignored. (10) HANEUL POKPUNG and (8) CLUTCH RUNNER are the other place chances.
| Selections | (3) Daeroui Bit (2) Songjeong Today (9) Joy Of Queen (10) Haneul Pokpung |
| Next Best | 8, 6 |
| Fast Start | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
Horse Racing in Korea 