DEL MAR, Calif. — Japanese horse racing has been on the precipice of breaking through on the U.S. scene. It seemed like it was almost there in 2021 when it won three Breeders' Cup races. But after that it leveled off.
Through 10 races at this year's Breeders' Cup, horses from Japan underperformed. But in the 11th, the most important race in the two-day event, the breakthrough became official when Forever Young held off Sierra Leone, last year's winner, to win the $7-million Breeders' Cup Classic by a half-length.
The last time Forever Young ran in this country was a year ago when the 4-year-old colt finished third in the Classic. Before that, he was third in the Kentucky Derby by a whisker while being on the receiving end of some bumping down the stretch by Sierra Leone. Without that he might have been victorious in a race that was won by Mystik Dan.
Forever Young was almost the victim of some legal chicanery on Saturday as trainer Chad Brown entered a horse — called a rabbit — with little chance to win so that he could set a fast pace. Sierra Leone, also trained by Brown, needs a fast pace to weaken the other horses, which would benefit Sierra Leone's late running style.
People are also reading…
But this time, Forever Young overcame all the obstacles thrown at him. He ran a very tactical race being placed close to the lead and never farther back than third.
Forever Young paid $9.00 to win. He was followed in order by Sierra Leone, Fierceness, Journalism, Mindframe, Baeza, Nevada Beach, Antiquarian and Contrary Thinking, who was the rabbit in the 1 1/4- mile race.
It was the third Breeders' Cup win for trainer Yoshito Yahagi. When asked if this was his most satisfying win, Yahagi said, through a translator: "I will never, ever get satisfied until I get retired as a trainer."
Forever Young was the third foreign horse to win the Classic, joining Argentine-bred Invasor in 2006 and Irish-bred Black Tie Affair in 1991.
"So last time here, the horse was 75% conditioned," Yahagi said. "And this time we create 100% condition. Forever Young is an amazing horse."
The winning jockey was Ryusei Sakai.
"We got the No. 1 in America," Yahagi said to NBC.
The Classic lost a lot of luster when the favorite, Sovereignty, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, was scratched earlier in the week when he spiked a fever. Sovereignty was the top-rated horse in the country and a possible horse-of-the-year winner. Many were hoping for a rematch with Journalism, who finished second in both those races and won the Preakness, which Sovereignty did not run in.
Other races
— Ireland-bred Ethical Diamond won the $5 million Turf by 1 1/4 lengths and paid $57.40 to win.
— Bentornato scored a two-length victory in the $2 million Sprint after finishing second last year. Irad Ortiz Jr. earned his second Cup win of the day and 23rd in his career.
— Scylla won the $2 million Distaff by five lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
— Britain-bred Notable Speech won the $2 million Mile by 1 1/2 lengths. He ran the distance on the grass in 1:33.66. It was the fourth time trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick have teamed to win the race.
— Gezora won the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf and paid $20.20 to win at 9-1 odds.
— Splendora roared past her favored stablemate Hope Road at the top of the stretch for a four-length victory in the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint. Trainer Bob Baffert earned his 20th career Cup victory.
— Nysos held off stablemate Citizen Bull by a head to win the $1 million Dirt Mile, giving Baffert a 1-2 finish. The Hall of Fame trainer’s 21st career Cup win put him in a tie for the all-time lead with Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
— Shisospicy won the $1 million Turf Sprint by two lengths under Ortiz.
5 takeaways from Arizona’s win over Purdue to send Wildcats to the Final Four | Michael Lev
