Day: August 15, 2026

Rookie Stakes Sunday Seoul & Busan: Race-By-Race Preview (August 16)

Seoul and Busan both hold their prep races for the Juvenile Series on Sunday as a small collection of the most promising two-year-olds at each track line up for the Rookie Stakes. There are 10 races at Seoul from 10:35 to 17:55 and 7 at Busan from 11:25 to 16:55. Here are the previews:

Seoul Race 1: Class 6 (1200M) Special Weight A / KRW 45 Million

Juvenile maidens although all but one have raced at least once before. (3) WONDER GRACE has raced twice, improving to 2nd at start two over 1000M on July 12th. The step up in trip can suit and third-up, she can be peaking. (8) ECLIPSE GOLDEN was 3rd on debut over this distance on July 19th, well beaten by the promising Clutch Derby, but nevertheless putting in a solid effort. He should have come on for the run and shapes as the main danger and possible betting favourite. (9) G B ACE was a beaten favourite on debut over 1000M on July 4th but showed enough in 4th place to suggest he is worth another chance here. (1) BONBON TIARA and (6) SEOGWI MENIQUEEN among others who hinted at ability on their respective debuts.

Selections(3) Wonder Grace (8) Eclipse Golden (9) G B Ace (1) Bonbon Tiara
Next Best6, 4
Fast Start3, 5, 8, 9

Seoul Race 2: Class 6 (1300M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

(10) SAMJEONG YEOJE enters off back-to-back 3rd places over 1400M racing on pace both times. She draws a touch wider than ideal but se won’t need to find much improvement to win this. (5) JS LOVE did nothing in her first two starts this spring but having gone back to trial, reappeared on July 18th with a close 2nd place at 1200M. She draws well here and can match or better that today. (1) HWARYEOHAN YUSAN was an improved 2nd over this distance on June 7th when racing on pace throughout. He can lead ere again and can be in this a long way. (3) GEOSEN HAMSEONG and (9) ILGEUP BISUL are among others who can be aiming for the places.

Selections(10) Samjeong Yeoje (5) JS Love (1) Hwaryeohan Yusan (3) Geosen Hamseong
Next Best9, 11
Fast Start1, 3, 5, 10

Busan Race 1: Class 6 (1600M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

It’s hard to go far past (1) SWEET MAN here. Since switching to racing on pace two starts back, he has a 2nd and a 3rd both over 1400M and while he comes up to a mile for the first time, he can get a soft lead here and go all the way. (9) RIVER RUN was beaten by a couple of these two starts back but comes in following a 3rd place over 1400M on June 21st when coming from off the pace. He comes up to the mile for the first time, and it may well suit. (10) SHINY KOREA was an improved 2nd at 1400M on July 19th and is another who can benefit from the extended trip today. (8) VIRAL HIT and (11) HANGANG BRAVO are the other main contenders on a place line.

Selections(1) Sweet Man (9) River Run (10) Shiny Korea (8) Viral Hit
Next Best11, 6
Fast Start1, 4, 7, 10

Seoul Race 3: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(2) WHIZ POINT hasn’t won but has two 2nd places and two 3rd places from four starts to date and was most recently runner-up at this class and distance on July 11th when on pace and only going down narrowly. He is up 3.5kg in weight, but he can break through here. (1) HOT FEVER is yet to score in nine but got promoted to this class with back-to-back runner-up finishes over 1200M and 1300M in April and May. She comes in having run 4th at this class and distance on July 19th and she can be closer today. (9) ONNURI BIT beat Whiz Point two starts back when the pair came home 2nd and 3rd and while that was her best finish so far, she can be a place chance again. (4) CLOVER ONE and (6) INSPIRE others firmly in the frame.

Selections(2) Whiz Point (1) Hot Fever (9) Onnuri Bit (4) Clover One
Next Best6, 3
Fast Start2, 4, 8, 9

Busan Race 2: Class 5 (1300M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(1) PRIME JENNY was an all the way winner on debut over this distance on July 17th scoring with plenty in hand. She could have probably taken her chance in the Rookie Stakes later on, but instead is sent to face older rivals at class 5 and should really win again. (9) CLUTCH RUNNER has mixed his form since his maiden win, but he enters off a 3rd place over 1200M at this class on July 19th when settling midfield and running on. Seo Seung-un climbs on for the first time, and he will have backers. (10) SKYNEX was a maiden winner two outings back over 1400M before running a solid 3rd place over a mile on his first try at this level on July 12th. He is up 2kg but can be there or thereabouts again. (4) JEONGMUN FELIX is the best of the rest while (8) WONDERFUL LARK, racing for the first time since November 2024, is the wildcard having trialed fairly.

Selections(1) Prime Jenny (9) Clutch Runner (10) Skynex (4) Jeongmun Felix
Next Best8, 2
Fast Start1, 4, 8, 9

Seoul Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 34 Million

(3) BEONGAE LEWIS won a trial by a distance and then scored by six-lengths with a front-running effort on debut over 1200M on July 4th. He comes up in class and in distance, but he is down 2.5kg in weight and the manner of that victory means he goes on top again today. (8) HAKSAN PRINCE is a non-winner of twenty-four and that probably won’t change here, but he has placed on no fewer than nine occasions, including his latest over 1200M on July 18th. He has been runner-up over this trip four times and this is the kind of race he can pick up a cheque in. (2) SINHAN ACE comes back in trip following 3rd place over 1800M on July 18th. He has a 3rd over this distance too and he will be running-on late again. (9) TEN BAGGER and (10) STUNNING SERVE are others in the hunt.

Selections(3) Beongae Lewis (8) Haksan Prince (2) Sinhan Ace (9) Ten Bagger
Next Best10, 1
Fast Start1, 3, 8, 10

Busan Race 3: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

A bit of a battle of the non-winners. (7) QUEEN PERFECT comes in off 2nd place at this class and distance on July 12th in what was arguably a stronger race than this. That was her first go at both the class and the distance and with that experience in her, she can go one better today. (9) DUBAI DREAM is up in class having 2nd over 1400M on July 19th when settling midfield and running on. He gets a 2kg weight drop and the step up in trip can suit. (4) KISS THE RAIN was 4th on his first try at both class and distance on July 5th and just like Queen Perfect, can have come on for that. He’ll be on pace and can be in this a long way. Veterans (1) DORAON SAMSON and (10) COLONEL FLYING also find themselves in a race where they can win a prize.

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