Forever Young got his final ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) this November 2 after winning the Japan Dirt Classic held at Oi Racecourse last October 2, 2024. His team was confident that he would perform well in the race, and they are looking forward to another stellar showcase of speed at Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Quest to Del Mar
According to Forever Young’s trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, also known in the international racing circles as “the man in the hat,” the three-year-old son of Real Steel is about 80 percent for his return to the races. So, he was overjoyed that Forever Young was able to win the Japan Dirt Classic.
In 2021, Yahagi led Japan’s victorious quest in the Breeders’ Cup, with Marche Lorraine and Loves Only You winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T), respectively. For this year’s Breeders’ Cup, many racing fans are already following key trends and predictions, including checking the odds from FanDuel, to see how this year’s top contenders stack up.
Other runners in the Japan Dirt Classic include Ramjet, who won another of the four races in the “Road” series. That son of Majestic Warrior also won the Tokyo Derby on June 5 at Oi.It was his fourth straight victory, winning by four lengths, though he’s been sidelined ever since.
Satono Epic also ran second and returned along with Pond Boy, who finished eighth in the race. Pond Boy went to win a 1,200-meter heat on September 9.
Forever Young’s jockey, Ryusei Sakai, said that the colt hasn’t lost a race in Japan yet. “But we had a frustrating experience in the spring, so I have a strong desire to get revenge,” Young declared. He added that he will continue his best as Forever Young’s jockey and focus on winning the Breeders’ Cup.
High Hopes for Real Steel’s Son
His team thought they couldn’t lose, so they were relieved when Forever Young pulled off such a big victory in Japan. “I didn’t want to be inside, so I thought to go to the lead. But once he settled in second position, his rhythm was better. I thought this was good competition in the race, so I couldn’t let my guard down until the end,” Sakai said.
Forever Young won six of his seven starts before heading to Del Mar. He also claimed victories in the Saudi Derby in February and the U.A.E. Derby in March. He chased down sprinter Book ‘Em Danno in Riyadh and overcame a wide trip to secure a convincing score, beating an older South American bred, Auto Bahn. Currently, he is the third-ranked horse in the Breeders’ Cup Classic rankings.
According to Yahagi, his experience in his three-Derby participation early this year, followed by a restful break, braced him for the Breeder’s Cup. On October 14, Forever Young will enter quarantine and fly to the United States on October 22.
Forever Young boasts a bloodline of sires who have shaped Japanese racing. He was sired by Real Steel who is by Deep Impact, a son of Sunday Silence. Meanwhile, his dam, Forever Darling, is sired by Congrats, a son of A.P. Indy. Forever Darling is also a half-sister to Heavenly Love, the dam of Sierra Leone.
His Kentucky Derby Performance
After winning the Saudi Derby and U.A.E Derby, the colt was only defeated at the Kentucky Derby after being proclaimed the third placer in the race. It caused quite a stir when he repeatedly bumped with runner-up Sierra Leone, but the stewards did not hang the inquiry sign.
He was sandwiched between Mystik Dan on his inside and Sierra Leone on the outside when the bumping incident happened. Forever Young finished a nose behind Sierra Leone and two noses behind the champion, Mystik Dan. But, many would claim that the result might have been better for Forever Young if not for the repeated bumping between him and Sierra Leone.
Nonetheless, Sakai, Yahagi, and Susumu Fujita, Forever Young’s owner, redirected their focus to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) this October 6 in France. The team is eyeing to end Japan’s decades-long frustration in the competition, along with another Japan-bred horse, Shin Emperor.
Other Japanese-Trained Horses Competing in the Classic
There are three Japanese-trained horses eyeing to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But Forever Young is the only one coming off a win in a prep-race victory among the three. The other two, Derma Sotogake and multiple Group 1 winner Ushba Tesoro, who finished second and fifth in the 2023 Classic at Santa Anita, finished the Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Racecourse, fifth and second, respectively.
Wrapping Up
As Yahagi said, they have a “strong desire for revenge” after their defeat in this year’s Kentucky Derby. It’s a strong commitment to winning a race in the U.S., which will be the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Having won the Saudi Derby and U.A.E. Derby, Forever Young is set to claim another victory after clinching the Japan prep race.
