Forever Young Works, Enters Quarantine For Saudi Cup

[Wandering Eyes]

Recently crowned Eclipse champion older dirt male courtesy of his victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 1. Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) turned in a strong piece of fast work Wednesday at the Ritto Training Center in advance of his title defense in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 14.

The newly turned 5-year-old, trained by the globally successful Yoshito Yahagi, was partnered in a gallop over 1200 meters by his regular jockey Ryusei Sakai and covered the distance in the time of 1:18.7. As is customary in Japan, the work itself is slow-paced at first before the horses are asked to quicken through the wire. Forever Young got his final 200 meters in :11.6.

“This will help him improve,” Sakai said in the Japanese media. “He still had plenty of energy in his body, so I worked him properly.”

Since defeating his close relative and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) by a half-length in the Classic, Forever Young has made history by becoming the first dirt horse to be named Japanese Horse of the Year, receiving 226 out of a possible 248 votes. He was also formally recognized as Japan's best older colt or male and champion dirt horse at ceremonies held earlier this week in Tokyo.

Forever Young made his first appearance of 2025 in the Saudi Cup, clawing his way past Hong Kong standout Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the shadow of the wire. Third in the G1 Dubai World Cup, he won the Nippon TV Hai ahead of his first successful American raid in three tries in November. The winner's share of the Saudi Cup purse would take his career earnings to just shy of $30 million.

Forever Young and the other Ritto-based runners headed to Riyadh entered quarantine Wednesday afternoon. They are expected to fly to the desert on Feb. 4.

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