Visiting horses from Hong Kong and Japan proved superior in last year's G3 OBS Korea Cup (1800m) and G3 OBS Korea Sprint (1200m), but there is some formidable local opposition that will take their chances in the two $1-million contests, with automatic berths in corresponding Breeders' Cup races up for grabs.Diktaean (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) gave Japan its sixth winner from the eight runnings of the Korea Cup last season, defeating Hong Kong raider Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit) and validated that performance with an upset victory in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten in the waning days of 2025. He was in need of his first start of the season when fourth in listed company at Kawasaki, but stripped fitter when third to the talented Mikki Fight (Jpn) (Drefong) in the Listed Teio Sho at Ohi back on July 1.Locally based gallopers took out the Cup in 2019 and in 2022 following a two-year hiatus, and in the form of Clean One (Bernardini), they stand their best chance since.Bred by the late Bob Lothenbach, the son of No Fault (Blame) has won seven of his 11 career starts and brings a four-race streak into the Korea Cup. A barnstorming nine-length winner of the Kor-G1 Grand Prix (an international listed contest) over 2300 meters last November at Seoul, the $22,000 Keeneland September bargain won a local Grade 3 (NBT) going the metric mile and a quarter locally on Mar. 14 and was last seen romping by a half-dozen lengths in the Busan Mayor's Cup (Kor-G2, Listed) in the southern part of the country on May 24.The Korea Cup is a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Self Improvement (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) gave Hong Kong its second winner of the Korea Sprint last September and he is back to defend his title for trainer Manfred Man and jockey Jerry Chau. He is winless in his four subsequent tries, including an 11th to Imagination (Good Magic) in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint last February. Beauty Waves (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) also represents the Bauhinia.The Yoshito Yahagi-trained American Stage (Into Mischief) adds Korea to his passport, having also raced in Dubai, America and Saudi Arabia during the last two seasons. Fourth and beaten just over four lengths in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, the $500,000 KEESEP graduate hasn't found the winner's circle in his last 10 starts, the three most recent of which have come on the grass, including a low-odds fifth in Group 3 company in early August. Ryusei Sakai rides. コリアスプリントに出走するアメリカンステージさん追い切り。#KoreaSprint@YoshizawaStable @yahagistable pic.twitter.com/qwS0gmDmJr— ɐʎıɥɔnsʇ nsʇıɯɐsɐɯ (@Touttiee) September 2, 2026 Japan, which has scooped four previous renewals of the Sprint, is also represented by the in-form Dragon Welds (Frosted), a $72,000 KEESEP yearling turned $150,000 OBS April breezer, whose current three-race winning streak includes the Listed Tokyo Sprint on Apr. 15.Korea has won the Sprint on two occasions, including with subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile third Blue Chipper (Tiznow) in 2019, and their chances seem to lie with Vincero Cavallo (Kor) (Cowboy Cal)–seventh in 2025–and the mare Born Dia (Kor) (With Distinction), who defeated Winner Clear (Kor) (Klimt) in local Group 2 company over course and distance in May.The post Home Team Takes On Defending Champs In Korean ‘WAYI’ Features appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.