Photo:

National Association of Racing TV, Japan

Forever Young, who missed winning Kentucky Derby 2024 by
only a head, took the lead in the last three-sixteenths of a mile Sunday and ran
on to a 1 3/4-length triumph in a deeply talented renewal of the Grade 1, US$1,132,635
Tokyo Daishoten, a two-turn, 1 1/4-mile, weight-for-age race on dirt at Oi
Racecourse in Tokyo.

It was the first Grade 1 win for the well-traveled 3-year-old
colt who finished third in both the Derby and last out in the Breeders’ Cup
Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 2. Before that Forever Young won the Saudi Derby (G3) and UAE Derby (G2).

After the race, winning connections told reporters Forever Young would target the US$20 million Saudi Cup (G1) and US$12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) in early 2025.

A son of Real Steel trained by two-time Breeders’ Cup winner
Yoshito Yahagi, odds-on favorite Forever Young (1-5) raced in second through the
first right turn and up the backstretch against nine rivals ages 3 and up. His
regular jockey Ryusei Sakai kept him about three lengths behind front-running 5-year-old
Crown Pride (28-1), who disputed the hot pace in the 2022 Kentucky Derby won by
80-1 long shot Rich Strike.

When Crown Pride faded at the top of the stretch, Forever
Young got first run and passed him to the outside with 3-year-old Ramjet (10-1)
in hot pursuit down the middle of the track and 5-year-old Wilson Tesoro (99-1)
along the rail.

Responding to Sakai’s right-handed crop, Forever Young maintained
his advantage to the wire. Wilson Tesoro accelerated to finish second, a neck
ahead of third-place Ramjet. Two-time defending winner Ushba Tesoro (8-1), the
7-year-old horse who won the 2023 Dubai World Cup (G1) and was 10th last month
in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, rallied to come in another 3 1/2 lengths up the
track in fourth. The mare Grand Bridge (36-1), 2023 UAE Derby victor Derma
Sotogake (29-1), 2022 UAE Derby winner Crown Pride (28-1), Sayono Nature (30-1),
King Of The Nile (99-1) and Grande Mare (99-1) were fifth through last in that
order.

The winning time was 2:04.9 without a run-up on the fast
track that is a mix of sand and dirt. The race was 2,000 meters, 13 yards short
of 1 1/4 miles.

Under the wagering system that offers win and the equivalent
of show bets, Forever Young paid $2.60 and $2.10, Wilson Tesoro $3.40 and
Ramjet $4.60.

Bred in Japan by Northern Racing, Forever Young is out of
Kentucky-bred Congrats mare Forever Darling. He was bought at a yearling sale for
$720,603 by Susumu Fujita.

With Sunday’s US$686,376 first-place money, Forever Young
has earned $4,301,044 from a record of 9: 7-0-2.

Since 2011, the Tokyo Daishoten has been the only internationally
recognized Grade 1 race in Japan’s second-level National Association of Racing
circuit. It is the only NAR event open to international horses.