Photo:
Japan National Association of Racing TV
Even though he stumbled out of the gate, Forever Young showed
his class Wednesday at Ohi Racecourse to win by 1 1/4 lengths in the 26th US$483,245
Japan Dirt Classic.
It was the first race for the 3-year-old Real Steel colt since
he finished a close third in the Kentucky Derby and his last before he travels
to Del Mar for next month’s running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
FOREVER YOUNG overcomes a stumble at the start and wins the Japan Dirt Classic, handling the 10f well off a 5-month layoff. The great-grandson of 2 @BreedersCup Classic winners, Sunday Silence & AP Indy, now gets his chance! #BC24 #????????? #????????? #??… pic.twitter.com/NJ55Mt32El
— Michael Adolphson (@AdolphsonRacing) October 2, 2024
Owned by Susumu Fujita and trained by two-time Breeders’ Cup
winner Yoshito Yahagi, Forever Young (7-10) quickly recovered from his awkward
start out of post 1 in the field of 15 3-year-old colts. His regular jockey Ryusei
Sakai guided him on an inside trip closely stalking the early pace set by
Kashima Espada (24-1).
As the field came out of the second of two right turns, Forever
Young drew even with Kashima Espada, taking the lead and drawing away inside
the last 300 yards. Deep closer Mikki Flight (5-1) charged late down the middle
of the track to finish second. It was another five lengths back to Sunrise
Zipangu (6-1) in third. Grade 3 winner Ramjet (5-2), who had won four in a row,
was a length farther behind in fourth. Shimmy Daisy (237-1) was another three-quarters
of a length up the track in fifth.
The winning time on the good-rated dirt course was 2:04.1
without a run-up for the 2,000 meters, about 13 yards less than 1 1/4 miles.
The early fractions were 23.7, 48.9, 1:13.6 and 1:39.2.
Forever Young, who was bred in Japan by Northern Farm, ran
his record to 6: 5-0-1. His previous wins came in his October 2023 debut, a
pair of 2-year-old stakes, the Saudi Derby (G3) in February and the UAE Derby
(G2) in March.
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