Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Forever Young, who last year made history as the first Japanese horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, vies for a rare repeat in the showpiece of the $34 million racing extravaganza at Keeneland on Saturday. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi sounded a confident note after the well-traveled five-year-old enjoyed a “perfect gallop” on the Lexington, Kentucky, track on Wednesday in his final tuneup for the 1 1/4-mile, $7 million race. “The horse is moving beautifully,” Yahagi said. “I’m very satisfied. There is no concern about the horse’s condition. He is very fresh.”
Forever Young was installed as the 2-1 early favorite after drawing the fifth post, and Yahagi acknowledged that the challenge facing the two-time Saudi Cup-winner and jockey Ryusei Sakai is somewhat different this year as they try to follow Tiznow in 2000 and 2001 as the only repeat Classic winners. “I think the quality of the rivals is the same as last year, but our position this year is quite different from last year,” Yahagi said. “Last year, we have to take on the challenge to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But this year, I think we are in the position that everybody is targeting us, so it’s not quite easy to defend the title.”
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Last year at Del Mar in Southern California, Forever Young was coming off a victory in Japan. This year Yahagi brought the horse to the United States to prepare, winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in September. Yahagi said Forever Young has improved since that relatively unimpressive win, and he’s looking forward to challenging Sovereignty — winner of the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes who was forced to scratch from last year’s Classic with a fever. “I have been looking forward to competing against him,” Yahagi said of the reigning North American horse of the year. “Also, beating him means becoming the real champion of America.”
A hoof abscess briefly threatened Sovereignty’s Classic participation this year, but trainer Bill Mott says he’s confident the horse, which will break from the second post with Junior Alvarado in the irons, is ready to go. “The one thing we know is if he gets a good pace up front and he likes the racetrack, he’s going to come up with a good run,” Mott said. Mott’s other entry, Knightsbridge, could provide that pace. But one other contender who had been expected to produce early speed, the Steve Asmussen-trained Magnitude, was withdrawn Thursday after a scan revealed a problem in one foreleg.
The field also includes Golden Tempo, who took advantage of early pace on the way to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes this year, and Preakness winner Napoleon Solo. Ethical Diamond goes for a repeat in the 1 1/2-mile, $5 million Turf, one year after giving Ireland’s 19-time champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins a first Breeders’ Cup victory. Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, tied with Bob Baffert with a record 21 Breeders’ Cup wins, sends out two contenders: stellar filly Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini.
A big race is anticipated, as Diamond Necklace, Europe’s leading three-year-old filly this year and a four-time group one winner, was made the early 3-1 favorite after drawing the 12th post. Christophe Soumillon will be aboard after Ryan Moore opted to ride Benvenuto Cellini, the Irish Derby winner priced at 6-1 after drawing the more favorable second post. “He’s got a good draw, and we think he’ll run a big race,” O’Brien said of Benvenuto Cellini. A strong European contingent in the Turf also includes the George Scott-trained Bay City Roller — second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe — and Mark Prescott-trained Tiffany.
The Turf and Classic close out Saturday’s nine-race program that also sees the Charlie Appleby-trained Notable Speech going for a repeat in the Mile. The action starts with “Future Stars Friday” and a slate of five races for two-year-olds. Baffert seeks a record-extending seventh victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Hughes, winner of all four of his career starts by a combined 24 1/2 lengths.
© 2024 AFP
