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Forever Young prevails in the Saudi Derby (G3) (Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia/Mathea Kelley)
By Michaela Moricova
Honestly, it seems that the European Road to the Kentucky Derby will not generate a runner in 2024. The winners of the prep races don’t look classy enough or aren’t expected to travel over the ocean at all. That leaves us with the Japanese horses, and once again, I’m surely thrilled to see them at Churchill Downs. Especially the Saudi Derby winner Forever Young would be a valuable part of the field, with Ramjet shouldn’t lack much class to him. Let’s look closely at the mentioned duo, as these colts could really follow the solid sixth place of Derma Sotogake in 2023.
Everybody Wants to… Have Forever Young
Although the first part of the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby takes place in November, the Cattleya Stakes’s result does not seem to affect the Kentucky Derby much. The most interesting thing about this mile-long race is that Amante Bianco (Henny Hughes) scored it in the last stride. Amante Bianco is a white thoroughbred related to champion Sodashi. However, the colt couldn’t repeat the victorious performance in his next start, and there are other two Japanese horses looking far more intriguing for the Kentucky Derby.
The first one is FOREVER YOUNG (Real Steel) trained by Yoshito Yahagi who knows very well what kind of horse to bring to the US to strike gold. Currently, Forever Young is unbeaten in all his four starts, and even though he doesn’t look like a favorite for the Kentucky Derby, he shouldn’t be much worse than Derma Sotogake who finished sixth in 2023. Moreover, he has a good fighting attitude.
In 2023, Forever Young scored a Listed race, upon which he triumphed in the second part of the Japanese RTKD, the Zen-Nippon Stakes, over a mile. Back then, he traveled close to the front, seized it before the final turn, and easily left the second horse behind. He demonstrated his class well enough, which he did again in Saudi Arabia, where he shocked his rivals, winning the G3 Saudi Derby by a head thanks to an almost late finish from behind.
He indeed seems interesting for the Kentucky Derby as he’s versatile, courageous, and classy.
Ramjet Landed the Hyacinth Stakes
After winning the Listed Hyacinth Stakes in Tokyo, RAMJET (Majestic Warrior) took the lead in the Japanese RTKD leaderboard from Forever Young. Shozo Sasaki has already sent the bay colt to five starts, while the horse triumphed in his debut, then finished third, ninth, and signed off the season of 2023 with a victory in Chukyo. In 2024, he commenced the campaign in a grand style by winning comfortably the third leg of the Japanese RTKD in February, delivering a beautiful finish from the rear of the field.
Ramjet galloped throughout the race as one but last, but his jockey simply relied on the colt’s turn of foot that occurred in the final stretch. Once he pointed the colt into free space, Ramjet picked up, swung by his rivals, and managed to get to the front in time to draw clear. He crossed the wire three lengths ahead of the field, and even though Forever Young’s exterior looks a bit more suited by the Kentucky Downs track, Ramjet may be a player, too.
The last Japanese prep race is the Fukuryu Stakes on March 23.
Where Are the European Contestants?
Well, after watching the European prep races again, I’m not sure we’ll be seeing any of the winners in this year’s Kentucky Derby. I really liked how ROSALLION (Blue Point) handled the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere during the Arc meeting as he achieved the victory thanks to a power turn of foot; however, the race was only over seven furlongs. Looking at Rosallion’s pedigree, I doubt Richard Hanonn will attempt sending Rosallion over the ocean to run over much longer distance and on a different surface.
Charlie Appleby has an exciting three-year-old prospect in ANCIENT WISDOM (Dubawi) who signed off the season with a fine victory in the G1 Futurity Trophy over a mile. Still, the bay doesn’t seem to be a Kentucky Derby horse, and he will probably stick to the British/Irish Classic route. Besides Ancient Wisdom and Rosallion, two other European horses earned ten points towards the Kentucky Derby, GHOSTWRITER (Invincible Spirit) and DEEPONE (Study of Man). The former triumphed in the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile, and the latter scored the G2 Beresford Stakes in September, and even though Ghostwriter boasts some class, it won’t be enough to succeed in Kentucky Downs.
Something similar goes for Deepone, too, which leaves us with the winner of the Patton Stakes in Dundalk. BERGAMASCO (Cappella Sansevero) swept by two other, more preferred rivals, but there is basically nothing of interest about him.
