Forever Young aims for a rare repeat in the Breeders' Cup Classic

A repeat twenty-five years in the making

On Saturday at Keeneland racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, the main event of the two-day Breeders' Cup meeting with a total purse of $34 million will take place — the Classic over 1 1/4 miles with a $7 million prize. The clear favorite is the five-year-old Forever Young, who last year at Del Mar became the first Japanese horse in history to win this race, AFP reports. Only Tiznow has ever repeated the feat, winning in 2000 and 2001.

Preparation and the favorite's position

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi gave the horse his final gallop on the track on Wednesday and was satisfied: 'The horse is moving beautifully. I am very pleased. There are no concerns at all about his condition. He is very fresh.' Forever Young, a two-time Saudi Cup winner under jockey Ryusei Sakai, was installed as the 2-1 favorite after drawing post five. Yahagi stressed that the task is different this year: 'Last year we came as the challenger trying to win the Classic. But this year we are in a position where everyone is targeting us, so defending the title will not be easy.' Unlike last season, when the horse was prepared in Japan, he was brought to the United States early this time, and in September he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

The rivals in the field

Yahagi considers Sovereignty his main rival — the winner of the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and the reigning 'Horse of the Year' in North America, who missed last year's Classic due to a fever. 'I have long awaited a meeting with him. Beating him means becoming a true champion of America,' the trainer said. Sovereignty had a hoof abscess that cast doubt on his participation, but trainer Bill Mott is confident in the horse's readiness; he will start from post two under Junior Alvarado. The field also includes Magnitude (trainer Steve Asmussen), who has beaten both Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup and Sovereignty in the Stephen Foster; Golden Tempo, winner of this year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes; Preakness winner Napoleon Solo; as well as Knightsbridge from Mott's barn, capable of setting a fast pace.

Other races at the meeting

In the 1 1/2-mile Turf with a $5 million purse, Ethical Diamond is trying to repeat last year's success, which gave Irish jumps trainer Willie Mullins his first Breeders' Cup victory. Aidan O'Brien, who shares the record of 21 wins at the meeting with Bob Baffert, has entered two horses: the Turf favorite — the filly Diamond Necklace (3-1, post twelve, four Group One wins) under Christophe Soumillon — and Benvenuto Cellini (6-1, post two), winner of the Irish Derby, on whom Moore himself will ride in place of Ryan Moore. In Saturday's nine-race card, Notable Speech (trainer Charlie Appleby) will also bid for a repeat in the Mile. The meeting opens on Friday with the 'Future Stars Friday' program of five races for two-year-olds, where Baffert, with the colt Hughes who has won all four of his starts by a combined margin of 24 1/2 lengths, is seeking a seventh victory in the Juvenile.