Trainer Yoshito Yahagi, confident that Forever Young was nearly unbeatable after defeating Romantic Warrior last year, is returning to Riyadh this Saturday with his Breeders’ Cup champion to attempt making history as the first horse to win back-to-back titles in the Group 1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on February 14th.<\/p>\n
Yahagi viewed Hong Kong legend Romantic Warrior as the only real threat in the $20 million 2025 race. This belief was confirmed when the two competitors battled neck-and-neck down the final stretch, with Forever Young clinching victory by a neck after taking the lead in the last 25 meters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn’t expect to lose to any horse,\u201d Yahagi admitted. \u201cBut I wasn\u2019t entirely sure about Romantic Warrior since it was my first time competing on dirt. If Forever Young was going to win, then Romantic Warrior had to win too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Romantic Warrior charged aggressively into the stretch and seemed poised to win, but Ryusei Sakai\u2019s masterful ride on Forever Young helped him prevail in a thrilling finish. Yahagi expressed disbelief at the outcome, saying, \u201cHonestly, I thought I lost at the end. It was an incredible race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yahagi is targeting his third Saudi Cup win in just seven editions, following Panthalassa\u2019s success in 2023. Forever Young\u2019s upcoming race will mark his first start since making history as the first Japanese trainer to win the Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic at Del Mar last November.<\/p>\n
Yahagi noted, \u201cSince the Breeders\u2019 Cup, he missed the Tokyo Grand Prix. Initially, he was a bit heavy, but he is steadily improving.\u201d He added that the counter-clockwise track and long home stretch at the Saudi Cup suit Forever Young\u2019s style well, and praised Ryusei Sakai\u2019s deep familiarity and dependable partnership with the horse. The same duo also secured victory in the 2024 Saudi Derby.<\/p>\n
Yahagi, who has captured prestigious events like the Dubai World Cup, Hong Kong races, and Australia\u2019s Cox Plate, is a prominent figure in promoting Japanese horse racing internationally. He believes Forever Young\u2019s Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic win catalyzed a significant shift within the Japanese racing scene. \u201cAlthough horse racing isn\u2019t yet the top sport in Japan, I am motivated to help the sport grow,\u201d Yahagi remarked.<\/p>\n
He emphasized Japan\u2019s ambition to be a global leader in horse racing, pointing out the critical role of fan support and betting in maintaining high prize money, which encourages owners to invest heavily. \u201cThe industry\u2019s health depends on this fan engagement,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Forever Young placed third in last year\u2019s Dubai World Cup and may return to Meydan, though future Breeders\u2019 Cup plans remain undecided. Yahagi stated, \u201cHe is set to run in the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup this spring. We haven\u2019t finalized any plans for the fall yet.\u201d He also mentioned the upcoming Breeders\u2019 Cup at Keeneland poses different considerations compared to West Coast venues, and that discussions with owner Mr. Fujita about the horse\u2019s future are ongoing.<\/p>\n
Yahagi also brings two reigning champions to this meet. Shin Emperor, who triumphed in last year\u2019s Howden Neom Turf Cup, will aim to defend his title in the now Group 1 event with a $3 million prize. Yahagi shared, \u201cI\u2019m feeling very confident; this race has been a long-term goal. The flat, counterclockwise 2,100m course suits him well. He doesn\u2019t need to lead but I want him well-positioned.\u201d He also hinted at Shin Emperor\u2019s potential for further growth despite appearing mature.<\/p>\n
Fans can watch the action live via livestream or on DAZN. For more details, visit www.jcsa.sa.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared in the News section of Paulick Report on February 9, 2026.<\/em><\/p>\n Fan Take:<\/strong> This news spotlights the rising prominence of Japanese trainers and horses in top international races, emphasizing the global nature of modern horse racing. Forever Young\u2019s attempt to make history with a consecutive Saudi Cup win could inspire further international competition and elevate the sport\u2019s worldwide appeal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Trainer Yoshito Yahagi, confident that Forever Young was nearly unbeatable after defeating Romantic Warrior last year, is returning to Riyadh this Saturday with his Breeders’ Cup champion to attempt making history as the first horse to win back-to-back titles in the Group 1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on February 14th. Yahagi viewed Hong […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2443],"tags":[2955],"class_list":{"0":"post-42297","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fighting","8":"tag-horse-racing"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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