How to bet the 2024 Korea Cup and Korea Sprint

A couple of “Win and You’re In” qualifiers for the 2024 Breeders' Cup are taking place at Seoul Racecourse in South Korea this Sunday.

The Korea Sprint (G3) awards a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), while the Korea Cup (G3) serves as a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

TwinSpires bettors can play along early on Sunday morning. Not sure which horses to bet? Let’s analyze both races and come up with wagering strategies.

Seoul (KOR), Race 6: Korea Sprint (G3, 1,200 meters on dirt, 2:20 a.m. ET)

A huge 16-horse field has entered the Korea Sprint, but we’re confident #7 Remake from Japan will take home top honors.

Remake has won six times in his home nation, but he’s also enjoyed success internationally. In 2023, he ran third behind two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Elite Power in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) in Saudi Arabia, finished fifth by 1 3/4 lengths in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in Dubai, and dominated the Korea Sprint by four lengths.

Two starts in 2024 suggest Remake remains in strong form. He started the year with a rallying triumph over six-time U.S. stakes winner Skelly in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, then improved to fourth place in the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Since Remake won the Riyadh Dirt Sprint off a layoff, entering the Korea Sprint off a five-month break shouldn’t be a major issue. The stage is set for a repeat victory.

Who are the other key contenders? #8 Jasper Krone finished fourth by four lengths against Remake in this year’s Riyadh Dirt Sprint and could find the Korea Sprint field easier to handle. We’ll count on him to finish either second or third in the trifecta while keying Remake on top.

We’ll round out our trifectas with local runners #9 Speed Young and #10 Beolmaui Star plus American raider #11 Anarchist (who has won two graded stakes) and the capable Japanese sprinter #2 Keiai Dorie.

• $26 to win on #7 Remake
• $3 trifecta: 7 with 8 with 2,9,10,11 ($12)
• $3 trifecta: 7 with 2,9,10,11 with 8 ($12)
  Total: $50

Seoul (KOR), Race 7: Korea Cup (G3, 1,800 meters on dirt, 3:30 a.m. ET)

It’s South Korea vs. Japan in the Korea Cup. Eight local runners will face a trio of Japanese raiders.

#11 Crown Pride leads the Japanese contingent. Winner of the 2022 UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai, Crown Pride finished 13th in the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) and has since developed into one of Japan’s best dirt runners. He finished second in the 2022 Champions Cup (G1) racing 1,800 meters in Japan, and last year he made a trip to Seoul to obliterate the Korea Cup by 10 lengths.

Crown Pride remains in encouraging form. On July 15 he battled to victory in the 2,000-meter Mercury Cup, a local Group 3 on Japan’s National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit. He has every chance to defend his Korea Cup title.

#8 Wilson Tesoro boasts formidable credentials too. He finished second in the 2023 Champions Cup and ran respectably in this year’s $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), finishing fourth against a deep field. He heads to Korea off a runner-up finish in the 2,000-meter Teio Sho, a local Group 1 on the NAR circuit.

The third Japanese runner, #4 Light Warrior, finished behind Wilson Tesoro when sixth in the Teio Sho and needs improvement to turn the tables.

Among the local runners, #2 Global Hit is bound to be popular after going 3-for-3 at Seoul this year. But he struggled when finishing eighth behind Crown Pride in last year’s Korea Cup. 2022 Korea Cup victor #1 Winner’s Man, who finished third behind Crown Pride last year, may have a stronger chance to factor.

Let’s play trifecta and superfecta tickets boxing Crown Pride and Wilson Tesoro in the top two slots:

• $4 trifecta: 8,11 with 8,11 with 1,2,4 ($24)
• $1 superfecta: 8,11 with 8,11 with 1 with 2,4 ($4)
• $1 superfecta: 8,11 with 8,11 with 2,4 with 1 ($4)
  Total: $32

Good luck!