Forever Young said goodbye to his 11 rivals and hello to Kentucky Derby (G1) speculation at the top of the straight in the Dec. 13 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun.
The race was the second of four in the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby,” a series that offers the ultimate top point-getter a guaranteed spot in the Churchill Downs starting gate on the first Saturday in May. The win left the Real Steel colt and his Derby-minded connections atop that leaderboard.
Forever Young remains undefeated after three starts, all on dirt tracks. The latest victory left an impression as jockey Ryusei Sakai raced just behind the early leader after crossing over from the outside gate, gave Forever Young one tap with the whip about 100 meters from home, looked back over his shoulder to find no one there and cruised home first by seven lengths.
“Around the far turn and at the top of the stretch we had pretty much confidence,” Sakai said. “I did not think we would be winning by that big a margin. He is a very nice colt, and there appears to be many more things we would be looking forward to.”
Aigle Noir was second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Saint Honore. The race was conducted at Kawasaki Racecourse, a venue administered by local governments through the National Association of Racing. Both Forever Young and Saint Honore were visitors from the Japan Racing Association ranks.
Forever Young won at first asking Oct. 14 at Kyoto Racecourse, then won the JBC Nisai Yushun at Mombetsu Racecourse Nov. 3. In the latter, he rallied from far off the pace and won going away by 1 1/2 lengths.
While the “Japan Road” series struggled through most of its short history to make an impact on the Triple Crown, the 2022-23 season was a breakthrough, and Forever Young’s connections would seem to indicate that trend will continue.
Derma Sotogake won the 2022 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun and then qualified for the Kentucky Derby by winning the UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai. He finished sixth in the Run for the Roses and then, off a six-month layoff, finished second behind White Abarrio in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Forever Young, owned by Susumu Fujita, is trained by Yoshito Yahagi, recognized internationally as “the man in the hat” for his colorful headgear even before he trained the first two Japanese-based Breeder’s Cup winners, Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine in 2021.
Yahagi also trained Continuar , who qualified for the 2023 Kentucky Derby through the “Japan Road.” That colt was withdrawn shortly before the race when Yahagi decided he was not sufficiently fit for the 1 1/4-mile challenge. His training at Churchill Downs had been uninspiring.
But the ever-positive trainer made no secret of his hope to return to Louisville.
“I am very sorry that I cannot participate in the world’s No. 1 horse racing festival,” he said at the time. “However, I sincerely hope to return to the Derby in the future. I want to thank everyone who has supported Continuar and Yahagi Stable on this journey.”
Yahagi indicated after the race at Kawasaki that Forever Young could be a ticket to an early return to Kentucky.
“Many people expect us to be racing internationally, and of course that is the possible option,” he said. “There is another option to race him in Japan aiming for Dirt Triple Crown, and I understand many people expect us to go to Kentucky Derby.
“Of course, the Kentucky Derby is my dream, but we will make a decision after talking with the owner. Yes, I will continue to train this horse so that we would not disappoint the expectation of many people, which includes running him in the international circuits.”
Winning owner Fujita also owns, and Yahagi trains, Shin Emperor, a full brother to Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Sottsass , who is 2-for-2 in his inaugural season. With Forever Young, the pair thus have early but legitimate candidates for the Kentucky Derby and either the Japanese Derby (G1) or Epsom Derby (G1).
Shin Emperor is expected to get his first top-level test in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Nakayama Race Course Dec. 28.
None of the horses who competed in the first leg of the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby” returned for the Kawasaki race. White colt Amante Bianco won the first race, earning 10 points, and trails Forever Young, who got 20 points for his victory.
The series continues with the Hyacinth Stakes Feb. 18 at Tokyo Racecourse, with 30 points to the winner, and wraps up March 12 with the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama. The winner there gets 40 points.
Video
