Korea Racing Busan Preview – 3 January

Friday January 3, 2025

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

The 2025 racing season kicks off with a maiden with two of the eleven racing for the first time. (6) DOCTOR KAREN ran an improved 4^th at start number two when she led for much of the way around over this distance. She weakened late and the time was slow, but she showed enough to suggest that in this company she can lead again and will be the one to beat. (11) JEONGMUN FELIX went through two trials in fair times, improving to 3^rd in the second of them. He has the challenge of the widest gate but if he brings that trial form, he can go close first-up. The other debut-maker, (2) HANEUL BOSS, is the next best. He was a solid 5^th of nine in his trial in a decent time and from a good draw has nothing to fear in this field. Returning to the first timers, (7) BEOLGYOUI HIM and (3) HANNAM QUEEN may be the best of a very limited rest.

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

(1) SHACKLE LAUD has been knocking at the door in his lates three and comes into a much better gate this time than when he drew the widest when 4^th at this distance on December 13^th. Tanaka climbs on and he is the one to beat. That will mean overturning the form on (8) PINE BLUE, who was 3ed in that December 13^th race. That was an uptick in form, and he can maintain his momentum here. (2) EAST SUN has steadily improved across three starts so far culminating in a 3^rd place in an all-filly maiden at this distance on December 6^th. From a very good draw, she can be on pace, and she can be in this a long way. (3) DIVINE KINGDOM and (4) HI LEGEND other place chances.

Busan Race 3: Class 6 (1400M) Special Weight A / KRW 30 Million

Fillies and mares only in this maiden. (11) TEAM SURPRISE has been getting closer and closer across her seven starts to date and comes in following a 3^rd place at this distance on November 24^th when she was ridden a bit further forward than in other recent outings. Despite the widest draw, expect similar tactics today and she can win. (3) DREAMMA is yet to finish in the top two but has no fewer than seven finishes between 3^rd and 5^th. In this company and drawn well, she can be expected to be on pace, and she shapes as the main danger. (9) SINCHEON FREEDOM picked up at start number three when 5^th at 1200M on December 20^th and with Munro booked for the first time, can go closer today. (4) COME ON GLORY and (8) GOLDMASK are the other placing chances.

Busan Race 4: Class 5 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 45 Million

(1) YONGBI PAEWANG registered back-to-back 3^rd place finishes in Listed juvenile company in September and October before finishing in midfield in the G2 Breeders’ Cup Rookie in November. He is yet to win but has shown enough against promising horses to suggest that back in more amenable company, he can win. (10) ALL TIME LEGEND is also winless having been promoted to this class with a pair of runner-up finishes from his first two starts before running 3^rd on his first try at this level at 1200M on December 1^st. He comes up in trip here but should be a danger late on again. (2) BIG JAWS comes up in class having won over 1200M on December 1^st and well-drawn and down in weight, can measure up. (4) HYPER FORCE and (11) GOLDEN NICE others to consider.

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

(11) NINETY PLUS will be a warm favourite here. The Instagrand colt comes in having run 2^nd at this class and distance back on November 24^th and having previously finished 2^nd in Listed juvenile company, he is very much the one to beat. (3) BABEL DREAMY enters off back-to-back runner-up finishes most recently beating a few of these over this distance on December 6^th when coming from well off the pace. Yet to win from fourteen starts, she has no fewer than five 2^nd place finishes, and she should be in the mix again. (9) HOLY RUN is yet to finish outside of the top four from five attempts and in this company should be there or thereabouts again without looking a winning chance. (10) BLACK SPEED and (5) NANGMAN DAERO are other place chances.

Busan Race 6: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

(3) OPEN SKY is a winner of three from four starts so far, most recently at this class over 1400M on December 1^st. While 693 wins and a Grand Prix Stakes may not have been enough to save trainer Peter Wolsley after a couple of challenging seasons, and therefore Open Sky has to move stables, that doesn’t harm his chances, as he has ended up in the capable clutches of Bart Rice. He can defy the 3.5kg weight rise to win again here. (10) EUNBIT DAERO is rapidly up in class having won two of his first three outings, both at this distance. He is up in class but is under a light weight and he can measure up. (4) HIT DAY ran 7^th on his first try at this class and can go closer here (2) HWANG YO and (12) FLYING DANU others in the placing frame.

Busan Race 7: Class 4 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 60 Million

Two standouts here. (6) BEOLMAUI ACE stepped up to this class on December 1^st and ran a very good 2^nd over this distance, coming from well off the pace. In this company expect him to be handier and he has every chance of going one better. The danger is (4) ONEULISUNGAN. He won three consecutive races between May and July before running 3^rd at this class over a mile back in September. He comes in here fresh, and he carries his fair share of weight, but he can be competitive. (12) SINCHEON FIRST enters off a 2^nd place last time out and Munro climbing on can do no harm to his chances. (11) HONOR LORD and (7) VICE ROYAL are among other placing chances.

Busan Race 8: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRE 75 Million

(3) BEOLMAUI ANGEL is the one to beat here. It took him a couple of goes to figure things out, but he has won his latest three, making all on each occasion, to get rapidly promoted to this class and he should be ready for the step up in trip too. Nothing else comes in with their respective last start reading well so we will offer an amnesty across the board. (2) RAON STRONG will probably be second-favourite having plenty of experience at this level and being nicely drawn. (1) LAST DRAGON last raced when well back in the Korean Derby, and while he did win a trial in November, he can be taken on no more than trust. Lee Sung-Jae will be keen to boot (8) MAGARITA into contention, while (10) AUTUMN BREEZE is another in the placing frame.

Busan Race 9: Class 3 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

(8) BANG BANG BANG was a class 4 winner two starts back having previously run 5^th in the final leg of the Triple Tiara. She ran well for 5^th in the Listed Breeders’ Cup Queen to round out her three-year-old season and coming back into more amenable company, she looks the one to beat. (2) DOCTOR CAPTAIN comes in having won his latest two, most recently at this class and distance on December 6^th. He comes up a full 5kg in the weights today but is not to be dismissed. (4) GRAY BOSS comes in having run 2^nd at class and distance on November 29^th and can be there or thereabouts again. (7) YEONGGWANGUIPRINCE and (11) DALLILAEYO others in the placing hunt.

Author: Melissa