FOREVER YOUNG winning Breeders Cup Classic 2026 - Photo: Carson Blevins-Agentes 305
Forever Young (5-year-old horse, trained by Yoshito Yahagi), who is scheduled to run in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on September 18 (September 19 Japan time) over 2,000 meters on dirt, recorded his first timed workout since returning to the Ritto Training Center on the 28th.
With regular jockey Ryusei Sakai aboard, Forever Young began the workout about 10 lengths behind Mozu Prefall, a 3-year-old maiden. He traveled smoothly and remained relaxed throughout before moving to the inside entering the stretch. Just before the 200-meter mark, he accelerated effortlessly, quickly swept past his workmate without giving him a chance to draw alongside, and crossed the finish line in front.
Working well within himself, Forever Young covered six furlongs in 1:21.0 and completed the final furlong in 11.6 seconds, producing an impressive performance.
Assistant trainer Shibuta explained that the faster workout had originally been scheduled for the following day, but the plan was changed at the last minute because of the weather.
“We were planning to work him fast tomorrow, but after looking at the rain situation, we changed the schedule about 20 minutes beforehand,” Shibuta said.
The decision was made to move the workout forward due to a forecast calling for heavy rain the following morning.
“The track conditions were good and easy for him to run over. We intended this to be about a 70 to 80 percent workout, but then he produced that kind of performance. It was exactly the sort of movement you would expect from him.
“Up to this point, there hasn’t been a single thing to worry about. He’s a horse who weighs close to 570 kilograms [about 1,257 pounds], but he has no concerns with his legs, he has an incredibly strong physique, and his cardiovascular capacity is excellent. More than anything, we just hope everything continues to go smoothly from here.”
With his preparations progressing without any setbacks, Forever Young continues to move toward his upcoming trip to the United States.
The two times Saudi Cup winner and 2025 Breeders Cup Classic winner is scheduled to travel from Japan to USA on September 07th.
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