At Del Mar, California, Forever Young claimed victory in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by narrowly beating the reigning champion, Sierra Leone, by half a length. This win marked Japan’s triumph in North America’s richest race. Ridden by Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young completed the 1 1/4 mile course in 2:00.19, paying $9 to win at odds of 7-2. Last year, the stallion had placed third behind Sierra Leone and Fierceness in the Classic.
In a notable upset, Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty was defeated by a colt that had overcome a fever and a scrape earlier in the week. This marked trainer Yoshito Yahagi’s third Cup win, while Sakai celebrated his first victory. Yahagi praised Forever Young as an exceptional horse.
Fierceness came in third, with Preakness winner Journalism finishing fourth. Other runners included Mindframe, Baeza, Nevada Beach, Antiquarian, and Contrast Thinking, finishing in subsequent positions. Forever Young has now raced 13 times, securing 10 wins and boosting his career earnings to $19,358,590.
Other highlights from Saturday’s races included:
– Irish Ethical Diamond winning the $5 million turf race by 1 1/4 lengths, with a $57.40 prize.
– Bentornato narrowly missed first last year but secured a two-length win in the $2 million Sprint. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. earned his second Cup victory of the day and the 23rd in his career.
– Scylla dominated the $2 million Distaff by five lengths, besting Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
– British horse Notable Speech won the $2 million mile on grass by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:33.66, marking the fourth win for trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick in this race.
– Gezora took the $2 million filly turf, paying $20.20 to win at 9-1 odds.
– Splendora won the $1 million Filly Sprint by four lengths over stablemate Hope Road, securing trainer Bob Baffert’s 20th Cup victory.
– Nisos won the $1 million Dirt Mile by a head over stablemate Citizen Bull, giving Baffert a 1-2 finish and tying him with Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien for the all-time Cup wins at 21.
– Shiso Spicy claimed the $1 million Turf Sprint by two lengths with Ortiz as jockey.
Fan Take: This thrilling Breeders’ Cup Classic victory by Forever Young not only highlights the rising influence of Japanese horses in international racing but also reinvigorates global interest in the sport. For horse racing enthusiasts, it signals an exciting era of competition and diversity, promising more dynamic and unpredictable races ahead.
