He is the world’s best racehorse, arguably one of the best in half a century. And by year’s end his career earnings could be close to a staggering $40 million.
Less than three months after he won the U.S.’s richest race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), which earned him an Eclipse Award for Champion Older Horse, FOREVER YOUNG (Jpn) (Real Steel (Jpn)) made sporting history at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday as he became the first two-time winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1).
Yoshito Yahagi’s undisputed dirt champion found a perfect gap along the inside rail turning into the home straight, and he used his will, class, and determination to fend off a brave challenge from Bob Baffert-trained Nysos by one length in a final time of 1:51.027 for the nine furlongs.
Banishing (USA) and Thundersquall (GB) had led the field along the backstretch with Nysos tracking. Meanwhile, Forever Young and jockey Ryusei Sakai sat just behind those horses, but hugging the rail in a tactical move that ultimately worked out perfectly.
Forever Young and Nysos went head-to-head in the last 400m, but this incredible globetrotting five-year-old, who took The Saudi Cup 12 months ago in a gripping encounter with Romantic Warrior (IRE) and went on to land the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in his final start of 2025, is an almost impossible horse to pass when in front and with the bit between his teeth. Tumbarumba (USA) came from off the pace to claim third ahead of Bishops Bay (USA).
“He’s an amazing horse, two times in the Saudi Cup, and I just trust him,” said jockey Ryusei Sakei. “I had no worries, there was no pressure, this is my job, the same every time. I’m very proud of him and I want to thank everyone who supported all the team.”
It was actually a third victory out of the seven renewals of this meeting for Forever Young, who also has a Saudi Derby success to his name and continues his progression towards legendary status.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said, “He gave me an unbelievable feeling all the time through the race. Of course I had a lot of pressure on me before the race as he was the best in the field. I think it’s not my training that makes him this great horse, I think the horse is just made like a champion and I have little to do with it.
“Of course our next target is the Dubai World Cup, so that is what we have to concentrate on now. And then, well I have no idea. Last year, it didn’t work out in the Dubai World Cup, he just wasn’t good enough. We will try our best to win it this year. Ryusei Sakai was my apprentice, my stable jockey, and he developed and improved as he grew up. And he has become a really good jockey for us.”
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$8,000 dam: Forever Young came to be when his dam, FOREVER DARLING (Congrats), originally an $8,000 yearling purchase by Carrie Brogden from the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, was bred to Japanese stallion Real Steel. Bred by Debby Oxley and sold by Legacy Bloodstock, Forever Darling went unsold for $65,000 as a two-year-old in training the following year, but was purchased privately by Jeff and Kathleen Hebert’s Hebert Bloodstock. J K Racing Stable and trainer Richard Baltas later joined the ownership group.
Forever Darling won the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2), one of two wins in nine races, and was bought by Katsumi Yoshida privately. Sent to Northern Farm in Japan, Forever Darling’s dam Darling My Darling, also an Oxley product, is a stakes-winning daughter of Canadian-bred champion DEPUTY MINISTER.
Forever Young was a $720,603 Japan yearling purchase. His dam produced a yearling colt by Rey de Oro (Jpn) who was bought by Forever Young’s owner for $2,241,865 at last year’s JRHA Select Sale.
He has 11 wins in 14 races and over $29,000,000 in earnings.
More quotes:
Bob Baffert, who also sent over Nevada Beach who wound up 12th said, “This race is almost like the Kentucky Derby because unless you win, second isn’t that exciting. The good thing, though, is that Nysos showed up. Forever Young is just so good.
“Irad [Ortiz] said Nevada Beach never really got engaged in it. He said he didn’t pick up his feet at all. I was really disappointed in him, because he was really going over this track very well.”
James Doyle, jockey, Tumbarumba, 3rd: “Delighted with him, he’s put in another big performance. I’m very proud of the horse and his young team who are getting going. For them, to have a horse run well here is brilliant.”
Case Clay, racing manager, Tumbarumba: “It was a big result for us. We’re proud of the horse. He came over here and stepped up in trip in the Al Maktoum Challenge and finished second and finished strong there. He was suited to the track well here. He looked a picture and Tommy Allen and Hamad Al Jehani were saying that he’s been going over the track well in the morning. We were confident going in and to be able to run third here, that has us possibly looking to the Dubai World Cup after this. We’ll regroup after this and decide.”
Brad Cox, trainer, Bishops Bay, 4th: “He was training well. I loved how he presented himself in the paddock. I thought he would run his race and I think he did. Junior [Alvarado] was happy with him and I was very happy with the performance. Turning for home, I thought we had a shot. At the eight-pole, it was looking more like maybe we would be third and ultimately he was fourth. He’s a hard-trying horse and I love the effort he showed, I thought we got a good trip and I’m proud of what he did here. I’m not usually happy with running fourth very often, but we’ll take it here.”
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