Forever Young under Ryusei Sakai winning the Classic for Japan. (Jenny Doyle/Past The Wire)
NYRA Communications
ELMONT, N.Y. – Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young, the reigning Japanese Horse of the Year and Eclipse Award-winner as Champion Older Dirt Horse, worked a solo five-eighths over the Belmont Park main track Tuesday in preparation for Friday’s Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Following a three-year project to transform Belmont Park into a world-class sports and entertainment destination, The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will celebrate the highly anticipated return to racing at the historic racetrack with a nine-race program anchored by the Jockey Club Gold Cup in Race 5. The 108th running of the 10-furlong route for 3-year-olds and up provides a “Win and You’re In” berth for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Keeneland. First post is 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
To help unveil the new Belmont Park to a national audience on September 18, FOX will present live coverage of the Jockey Club Gold Cup as part of itsBelmont Park Returns telecast to air from 3-4:30 p.m. Eastern. For the full broadcast schedule, visit NYRA.com/TV.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, Forever Young left his barn at 6 a.m. Eastern with jockey Ryusei Sakai in the irons and traveled through the tunnel to the Tapeta track in company with Shin Emperor, who was in rein to assistant trainer Yuki Araki. Both horses completed a warm up lap over the Tapeta before traveling to the main track.
Forever Young, a 5-year-old son of Real Steel, picked up to a canter on the backstretch with NYRA clockers catching the talented bay building up his speed during the breeze through splits of 14 3/5, 28 1/5, 40 2/5, 50 2/5 and completing five-eighths in 1:02.17.
Hiroshi Ando, racing manager for Susumu Fujita, said he was pleased with the morning exercise.
“We did our warm up on the Tapeta and then to the main track to work five-eighths and see how the horse feels,” Ando said. “In the last part of the work we wanted him to pick it up – blow out – because he didn’t run in six months. That was at the trainer’s request, and I think he’s done that well. That’s why we started in 14 and 3 and then get quicker and build up. I think he had a very good finish – strong – that’s what we wanted. It seems like he did it so easy.”
Sakai, who has piloted Forever Young through each of his 15 career starts, said the talented horse seems to be finding another gear as a 5-year-old.
“He enjoyed the track and handled it well. It seems like he’s very happy to run here, so I’m quite happy for that,” said Sakai, with Ando acting as his interpreter. “He’s a Breeders’ Cup Classic winner last year and a Champion horse, that’s why he’s quicker [at the end]. He has a big gear.
“He’s getting taller,” Sakai added. “I thought his peak was last year, but still he was hiding his peak and now he’s improving more than compared to last year.”
Both Forever Young and Shin Emperor cooled out in their customary fashion since arriving in New York with multiple laps along the treelined horse path adjacent to the main track before bath time and a pick of grass.
Belmont Park has been selected to host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which will mark the first edition of the Breeders’ Cup to be held in New York State since 2005.
Ando said the positive experience thus far at new Belmont bodes well for international visitors next year.
“Not only for us, but I think the whole Japan team will like this Tapeta. It’s an amazing surface for us to train on, nice and smooth,” Ando said. “Forever Young has adapted really well. We’re really satisfied. There are a lot of options for us with training here at Belmont. It’s very good for us and we try to do everything we can for Forever Young. I think our preparation is going very well.”
Forever Young won 3-of-4 starts last year, taking the Group 1 Saudi Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, the Nippon TV Hai in October at Funabashi, and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.
He has made a pair of starts this year, successfully defending his title in the Group 1 Saudi Cup in February where he bested subsequent Grade 1 Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap-winner Nysos by one length ahead of a one-length second to Magnitude last out in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March 28 at Meydan Racecourse.
Friday’s test will mark Forever Young’s fourth race on U.S. soil, having finished third in 2024 in both the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.
Inaugurated in 1919, the Jockey Club Gold Cup has been won by a number of Hall of Fame horses, including Man o’ War [1920], Crusader [1926], Reigh Count [1928], Twenty Grand [1931], War Admiral [1938], Hill Prince [1950], Nashua [1955-56], Gallant Man [1957], Sword Dancer [1959], Buckpasser [1966], Damascus [1967], Arts and Letters [1969], Forego [1974], Exceller [1978], John Henry [1981], Easy Goer [1989], Cigar [1995], Slew o’ Gold [1984], Skip Away [1996-97], and Curlin [2008].
The Hall of Famer Kelso won the Jockey Club Gold Cup a record five straight years from 1960-64, while the Hall of Fame filly Shuvee beat males two years in a row [1970-71]. In addition, nine Kentucky Derby winners have won the prized event, including Triple Crown winning Hall of Famers Gallant Fox [1930], War Admiral [1937], Whirlaway [1942], Citation [1948] and Affirmed [1979].
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