IRL:Forever Young

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Forever Young
フォーエバーヤング
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Forever Young at the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic
Silks
Romaji	Fōebā Yangu
Foaled	February 24, 2021
Sire	Real Steel
Dam	Forever Darling
Sex	Stallion
Color	Bay
Trainer	Yoshito Yahagi
Race Record	15: 11-1-3
Earnings	4,936,993,600 JPY
Major wins
Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (2023) Saudi Derby (2024) UAE Derby (2024) Japan Dirt Classic (2024) Tokyo Daishoten (2024) Saudi Cup (2025, 2026) Breeders' Cup Classic (2025)

Destiny belongs to the bold.

Destiny belongs to the bold.

And Forever Young rounds off a terrific night...
And thus the legend was written.
A race for the ages.
A moment forever gilded in time.
Where Forever Young not only honored his father but, surpassed him,
Proving that destiny belongs to the bold.
2025 Saudi Cup video clip

Forever Young is an active Japanese racehorse who started racing in 2023. He is owned by Susumu Fujita, who is the founder of the Japanese company CyberAgent, which includes Cygames as one of its subsidiaries. He became the first Japanese horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. As of February 2026, he is the richest Japanese racehorse in history, and the 2nd richest racehorse in the world.

Name Origin

Forever Young is named after the eponymous song by AK-69 featuring UVERworld, which served as the theme song in Kaisha wa Gakkou janen da yo, a Japanese drama series in Abema, one of CyberAgent's subsidiaries.

Racing career

Two-year old season (2023)

Forever Young debuted on October 14, 2023 at Kyoto Racecourse, winning by 4 lengths in a newcomer race. As of February 2026, this would be his only race on the JRA circuit. His next race would be on November 3rd in the JPN3 JBC Nisai Yushun, where he would go on to win by 1 1/2 lengths, earning his first graded victory. Now considered a top Japanese dirt juvenile, he would run in the JPN1 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse on December 13th. In the race, he would pull away from his rivals at the top of the homestretch, winning by a massive 7 lengths. After the race, trainer Yoshito Yahagi would answer questions about the possibility of Forever Young traveling overseas to run in the Kentucky Derby. "Many people expect us to be racing internationally, and of course that is the possible option... 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."

Three-year old season (2024)

In January, Forever Young would be on the early nomination list for the US Triple Crown, signifying the intent to run in the Kentucky Derby in May. To prepare him to run in the Kentucky Derby, his connections would travel overseas to run in the G3 Saudi Derby, and on February 9th, his connections would accept an invitation to the G2 UAE Derby, a major points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. On February 24th, Forever Young would run in the G3 Saudi Derby at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. Breaking late from the gate, he would find himself being forced wide for the entire race, and without switching leads, would chase down the leader Book Em Danno on the homestretch to win by a nose. He would then travel to Dubai to run in the UAE Derby on March 30th. He would have a much smoother trip in this race, and won by 2 lengths. He earned 100 qualification points for the win, and an automatic berth into the Kentucky Derby. Forever Young would leave Dubai on April 10th to fly to Chicago, enroute to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Forever Young would be joined by fellow Japanese contender, T.O Password, who qualified for the Derby by winning the Fukuryu Stakes. US contenders included race favorite Fierceness, winner of the G1 Florida Derby, and Sierra Leone, winner of the G1 Blue Grass Stakes, who is related to Forever Young through 2nd dam Darling My Darling. In the leadup to the race, owner Susumu Fujita stated that Forever Young can be a popular character in the Umamusume: Pretty Derby franchise if he were to win the Kentucky Derby.

3-way finish in the 150th Kentucky Derby. From top to bottom: Mystik Dan, Forever Young, Sierra Leone

On May 4th, Forever Young would run in the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. He would go off at 7-1 final odds, ranked as the 3rd favorite. In the race, he would jump to his right out of the gate and would find himself near the back of the pack in 14th place in the early running. Early leader Track Phantom would set a fast early pace, posting a 22.97 seconds quarter mile and 46.63 seconds half mile time. At the three quarters mile pole, Forever Young would begin moving his way through the field on the outside, finding himself just a few lengths off the leading Mystik Dan at the top of the homestretch. While chasing down the leader, he would bump multiple times with rival Sierra Leone, as both horses would chase down a tiring Mystik Dan in the final furlong of the race, resulting in a 3-way photo in one of the wildest finishes in Kentucky Derby history. After a video review, it was determined that Forever Young finished in 3rd place, a head length behind race winner Mystik Dan. In a post race interview, a distraught trainer Yahagi would give his verdict on the race: "I have just one thing to say: I'm disappointed".

Forever Young returned to Japan for a summer break before he would continue his 3 year old campaign. His next race would be the JPN1 Japan Dirt Classic at Ooi Racecourse on October 2nd. Despite a lengthy layoff, he would win by 1 1/4 lengths over Mikki Fight, setting himself on course to challenge American rivals again in the Breeder's Cup Classic. Jockey Ryusei Sakai remarked: "We were really disappointed in the U.S. in the spring, so we have a strong desire for revenge.” He would leave Japan with fellow Japanese Breeder's Cup contenders on October 22nd, to head to Los Angeles enroute to Del Mar Racetrack.

He would be joined by Japanese contenders Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake, and would face past rivals in Fierceness, now winner of the 2024 Traver Stakes, and Kentucky Derby runner up Sierra Leone. On November 2nd, Forever Young would run in the Breeder's Cup Classic at Del Mar Racetrack, going off as the favorite. In the race, Forever Young would be stuck on the rail for most of the early running, being part of an fast early pace set by Derma Sotogake. Trapped on the inside on the homestretch, he would be angled the outside but would lose significant ground on the stretch, finishing in 3rd place, over 2 lengths behind the winner Sierra Leone. It was a disappointing result for his connections, as trainer Yahagi lamented: "The first and second place horses were strong... We've been working hard to make him the world's best racehorse, but it didn't happen this time."

He would soon return to Japan, where he would have his last race of the year in the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ooi Racecourse on December 29th. He would face a field of 9 horses, including some of the top Japanese dirt horses of the year in Derma Sotogake, Ushba Tesoro and Ramjet. In the race, Forever Young would run behind the pace leader before being urged and pulling away in the final straight, winning by 1 3/4 lengths. This would be his first Grade 1 victory. His victory would be flattered by both trainer Yoshito Yahagi and jockey Ryusei Sakai agreeing that he wasn't in his best condition. "I think that is the proof that he is not at his best yet and I think that is the issue he has to overcome in order to become No. 1 in the world ... I was sure I would not lose. But I really did give him a 'go' sign, thinking of the big future ahead of him." For his globetrotting exploits, Forever Young would earn the JRA Special Award, and was runner up for Best 3-Year-Old Colt and Best Dirt Horse. His next race for the new year would be the Grade 1 Saudi Cup, in Saudi Arabia at Abdulaziz Racetrack.

Four-year old season (2025)

Forever Young would have his final domestic workouts at Ritto Training Center before departing for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 13th. Initially there was expectations that he would face several American dirt rivals in Fierceness, White Abarrio, and Sierra Leone, but many would pull out in favor of domestic target races. The race would be billed as a showdown between Forever Young and Romantic Warrior, Hong Kong's star turf runner challenging a dirt race for the first time. He would go on to win the Saudi Cup in February 22, but would fall short in the Dubai World Cup on April 5 to Hit Show, only finishing at 3rd.

He went on a long break until the Nippon TV Hai on October 10, where he would go on to win against Revontulet.

In November, Forever Young returned to Del Mar to run at the Breeders' Cup Classic again. Sovereignty was made the favorite, while Forever Young was the second favorite; however, Sovereignty was withdrawn from the race a few days prior due to a high fever. Forever Young defeated Sierra Leone by half a length, becoming the fifth foreign-bred horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, and the first from Japan.

Five-year old season (2026)

In January, it was announced that Forever Young had won three JRA Awards for 2025, in the Best Dirt Horse, Best Older Male Horse, and overall Horse of the Year categories. He became the first dirt horse ever to be named the JRA Horse of the Year. In the US-based Eclipse Awards, he was also voted Best Older Dirt Male Horse, and his Breeders Cup win was voted NTRA Moment of the Year by fans.

After a long break since his win at the Breeders' Cup Classic, Forever Young returned to Saudi Arabia to defend his Saudi Cup victory on February 14. He won the race by a length against Nysos, becoming the first racehorse to win the Saudi Cup twice. Immediately after, he returned to compete in the Dubai World Cup on March 28, entering as the favorite. Magnitude would outpace him at the end by almost a length. It also marked his first time placing second in his racing career.

Honors

• JRA Special Award (2024)
• NAR Grand Prix Dirt Grade Race Special Award (2024)
• JRA Horse of the Year (2025)
• JRA Award for Best Older Male Horse (2025)
• JRA Award for Best Dirt Horse (2025)
• American Champion Older Dirt Male Horse (2025)
• NTRA Moment of the Year (2025)

Relationships

Relatives

• Zenno Rob Roy - Granduncle via Roamin Rachel, Zenno Rob Roy and Darling My Darling's mother.

Race Records

Race data sourced from netkeiba.

Date	Racecourse	Race	Grade	Distance	Gate	Odds	Fav.	Fin.	Time	Margin	Jockey	Winner (Runner-Up)	Other Umamusume
2023/10/14	Kyoto	Two-Year-Old Newcomer	Maiden	D 1800m	2	4.2	2	1	1:54.8	-0.7	R.Sakai	(Shiliushi)
2023/11/03	Monbetsu	JBC Two-Year-Old Yushun	Jpn3	D 1800m	3	2.2	1	1	1:54.3	-0.3	R.Sakai	(Sunrise Zipangu)
2023/12/13	Kawasaki	Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun	Jpn1	D 1600m	12	2.1	1	1	1:43.5	-1.5	R.Sakai	(Aigle Noir)
2024/02/24	King Abdulaziz	Saudi Derby	G3	D 1600m	6		1	1	1:36.17		R.Sakai	(Book'em Danno)
2024/03/30	Meydan	UAE Derby	G2	D 1900m	5		1	1	1:57.89		R.Sakai	(Auto Bahn)
2024/05/04	Churchill Downs	Kentucky Derby	G1	D 2000m	11	4.5	2	3			R.Sakai	Mystik Dan
2024/10/02	Ooi	Japan Dirt Classic	Jpn1	D 2000m	1	1.7	1	1	2:04.1	-0.2	R.Sakai	(Mikki Fight)
2024/11/03	Del Mar	Breeders' Cup Classic	G1	D 2000m	1	3.6	1	3			R.Sakai	Sierra Leone
2024/12/29	Ooi	Tokyo Daishoten	G1	D 2000m	4	1.3	1	1	2:04.9	-0.3	R.Sakai	(Wilson Tesoro)
2025/02/23	King Abdulaziz	Saudi Cup	G1	D 1800m	5		1	1	1:49.09		R.Sakai	(Romantic Warrior)
2025/04/05	Meydan	Dubai World Cup	G1	D 2000m	1	1.1	1	3			R.Sakai	Hit Show
2025/10/01	Funabashi	Nippon TV Hai	Jpn2	D 1800m	7	1.1	1	1	1:52.2	-0.5	R.Sakai	(Revontulet)
2025/11/01	Del Mar	Breeders' Cup Classic	G1	D 2000m	5	2.7	2	1	2:00.19		R.Sakai	(Sierra Leone)
2026/02/14	King Abdulaziz	Saudi Cup	G1	D 1800m	6	1.2	1	1	1:51.0		R.Sakai	(Nysos)
2026/03/28	Meydan	Dubai World Cup	G1	D 2000m	6		1	2	2:04.55	0.9	R.Sakai	Magnitude

Pedigree

Horse pedigree of Forever Young (JPN)

Sire Real Steel (JPN)	Deep Impact (JPN)	Sunday Silence (USA)	Halo (USA)
			Wishing Well (USA)
		Wind in Her Hair (IRE)	Alzao (USA)
			Burghclere (GB)
	Loves Only Me (USA)	Storm Cat (USA)	Storm Bird (CAN)
			Terlingua (USA)
		Monevassia (USA)	Mr. Prospector (USA)
			Miesque (USA)
Dam Forever Darling (USA)	Congrats (USA)	A.P. Indy (USA)	Seattle Slew (USA)
			Weekend Surprise (USA)
		Praise (USA)	Mr. Prospector (USA)
			Wild Applause (USA)
	Darling My Darling (USA)	Deputy Minister (CAN)	Vice Regent (CAN)
			Mint Copy (CAN)
		Roamin Rachel (USA)	Mining (USA)
			One Smart Lady (USA), (Family: 2-b)

Trivia

• He is the third Japanese-bred and trained racehorse to win a Breeders' Cup race, following Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine, who won the Filly & Mare Turf and Distaff respectively.
  • Before Forever Young, Marche Lorraine, and Loves Only You competed, Karakontie was actually the first Japanese-bred racehorse to win a Breeders' Cup race (winning the Breeders' Cup Mile in 2014); however, he mostly trained and raced in France.
• He is the second horse, following El Condor Pasa in 1999, to win the JRA Horse of the Year award while running no JRA races in that year.
• The jockey silk for owner Fujita is maroon with two white stripes on the sleeves, which resembles the sleeves on the Tracen Academy sports jersey.