Forever Young, one of the best dirt horses to come along in years, got his Saudi Cup repeat Saturday, holding back the American star Nysos to win the $20 million Saudi Cup.
Now, it is on to Dubai, where Forever Young will try for the epic double that eluded him last year, when a brutally tough Saudi Cup win over Romantic Warrior left him sapped for the $12 million World Cup, where Forever Young was third behind two horses nowhere near his class.
In fact, if Forever Young pulls off a Dubai victory, he would have won, in succession, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Saudi Cup, and the Dubai World Cup, the three races worth $39 million.
Forever Young earned $10 million for his connections Saturday. His career mark stands at 14-11-0-3, his bankroll sitting at just less than $30 million. Only Romantic Warrior – the horse who nearly took down Forever Young in the 2025 Saudi Cup – has earned more.
And while Forever Young won by one length, it appeared to be a measured length, nothing like the tooth and nail battle that got him home by a neck a year ago.
Both horses – Forever Young, the 1-5 favorite on the American tote, and Nysos the 9-2 second choice – broke alertly in a field reduced to 13 after Star of Wonder was an early scratch after being treated topically with an impermissible medication. Nysos and Flavien Prat stayed out in the clear, pressing tempo from about the three path, while jockey Ryusei Sakei let Forever Young stalk the pace along the inside. Sakei probed forward after about a quarter mile, but Banishing crossed gently in front of him to occupy the spot Sakei might have taken, and going around the turn, Forever Young was locked behind a couple longshots.
Sakei, you could see, had no concerns whatsoever. Turning into the long homestretch, a gap indeed opened along the fence, Forever Young slipped through it, and the battle was on, Nysos engaging from the outside. A good race it was, too, but Nysos never looked like he was catching Forever Young, who held sway under steady pressure.
“He’s an amazing horse. Two times in the Saudi Cup, and I just trust him,” Sakei said. “I had no worries, there was no pressure; this is my job, the same every time. I’m very proud of him.”
Tumbarumba, an American horse trained by Brian Lynch until this winter, when Wathnan Racing sent him to Dubai, ran impressively at a 1 1/8-mile distance probably farther than ideal, holding third, almost four lengths behind Nysos and one length in front of Bishops Bay, another American shipper.
“I’m not usually happy with running fourth very often, but we’ll take it here,” said trainer Brad Cox.
Among the other American runners, Banishing was eighth, Rattle N Roll ninth, and Nevada Beach 12th under Irad Ortiz Jr.
“Irad said Nevada Beach never really got engaged in it,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He said he didn’t pick up his feet.”
Baffert, unlike Cox, had little satisfaction in coming up short with Nysos.
“This race is almost like the Kentucky Derby because unless you win, second isn’t that exciting,” Baffert said. “The good thing though is that Nysos showed up. Forever Young is just so good.”
Nevada Beach had been scheduled to go on to Dubai for the World Cup. Forever Young definitely is headed there.
“Of course, our next target is the Dubai World Cup, so that is what we have to concentrate on now,” said Yoshito Yahagi, Forever Young’s trainer. “And then, I have no idea.”
Forever Young, by Real Steel out of Forever Darling, by Congrats, paid $2.70 on the American tote and clocked 1:51.03 for 1,900 meters, one of the slower Saudi Cups. The racing surface Saturday night seemed deep and laboring. But Forever Young didn’t labor. Excellent at 3, better at 4, Forever Young has become all he could be at age 5. And think about it – the horse does all his major competition thousands of miles from his home in Japan.
Racing people will be talking about this horse for a long time – like, forever.
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