ITM Plus · Breeders’ Cup Package
This One’s on Us
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Trainer Yoshito Yahagi may have been less than impressed when reigning Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Forever Young took the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in his last start, but he could not have felt any different on Wednesday morning, when the world champion made his final move for this year’s Classic.
Forever Young visited the Keeneland main track just past 8:00 AM on Wednesday morning to put together his final serious piece of work in an attempt at a title defense in this year’s edition. Under slightly overcast skies, Forever Young went a half-mile in company with stablemate American Stage, who will contest the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Forever Young began his work behind his stablemate down the backstretch under jockey Ryusei Sakai, and began leveling up to American Stage with the two matching strides nearing the quarter pole. Greeted by a crowd of fans along the grandstand rail, the two went in tandem to the wire with Forever Young completing the four furlongs in 50.20 seconds. American Stage completed his move in 50.80.
Yahagi admitted that Forever Young ‘50 percent’ impressed him in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he struggled to switch leads in the stretch run and slightly drifted out in the final half furlong. But he liked what he saw from his world champion on Wednesday morning, and made that known at a post-work press conference at the Keeneland Sales pavilion.
“It was perfect. The jockey gave the perfect ride and the horse was moving beautifully,” Yahagi said through translator Mariko Seki. “I thought the performance he showed at Belmont was not good enough to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The stable staff has told me that the horse’s condition is improving. I trust my stable staff very much, and they have always done a good job of keeping him in good condition.”
No horse has earned as much money as Forever Young, who has banked earnings in excess of $32 million heading into this year’s Classic, with discussions of where he ranks amongst the best Thoroughbreds of all time. But even some of the all time greats like Unbridled, Skip Away, Cigar, Curlin, Zenyatta, and Arrogate were unable to protect their Breeders’ Cup Classic title. To date, the only horse to do so was Tiznow in 2000-01.
“It’s quite difficult to maintain top condition for two years in a row, but I think Forever Young can do it. His condition is good and much better than last year,” Yahagi said. “This year, we are in a position that everyone is targeting us, it is not quite easy to defend a title.”
But Forever Young knows a thing or two about defending titles. He did just that in this year’s Group 1 Saudi Cup in February. Yahagi has not ruled out keeping Forever Young in training to attempt a third straight Group 1 Saudi Cup triumph on February 21, 2027.
“Two weeks ago, I and the owner [Susumu Fujita] had a long discussion with lots of drinks, but we still don’t have a final decision yet. All possible options we have at the moment,” Yahagi said.
