Forever Young: Building a Ladder to the Stars
Forever Young: Building a Ladder to the Stars
By Steve Haskin
There are certain names that literally are music to our ears. You hear the title and the lyrics and you can’t help but put the music to it. So, we begin by turning the clock’s back to the 1960s and one of the great songwriters of all time.
“May you build a ladder to the stars, and climb on every rung. May you stay…Forever Young.”
The equine namesake of Bob Dylan’s lullabye to his son has certainly lived up to those lyrics. From the time he left his native Japan in 2024 to conquer the world, this grandson of the great Sunday Silence has in his own way built a ladder to the stars, has climbed on every rung to reach super stardom, and despite an arduous and ambitious career, has stayed forever young. Now, at the age of 5, with all his former adversaries having been retired, Forever Young will attempt to take on new and younger foes in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. And if successful, most likely he will become the first Japanese horse to be named Horse of the Year in America.
If there is one thing about Forever Young I don’t like, it is that he’s not ours. Sovereignty aside, as we await his status, there is something discouraging about Thoroughbred racing in the United States having to be dependant on a Japanese horse, or a horse from any foreign country, to give the Breeders’ Cup Classic superstar appeal. And make no mistake, Forever Young is a superstar in America, for he embodies everything we love in a racehorse. We don’t even care that his trainer doesn’t speak English. His horse is the best interpreter you could ask for. Although Forever Young has made only four lifetime starts in the U.S. we feel as if he is indeed one of ours, as the Japanese have been more than willing to share him with us for the past three years.
I found it interesting that on a historic day in racing, with the opening of the new Belmont Park, it was Forever Young who saved the day by being the star attraction in a four-horse Jockey Club Gold Cup field. And in that field, the multiple graded stakes winner he had to catch was named Phileas Fogg. Many will remember that Phileas Fogg is the name of the lead character who traveled “Around the World in 80 Days” in Jules Verne’s classic novel and subsequent Academy Award-winning motion picture of the same name. By doing so, Fogg traveled approximately 25,000 miles from London back to London, circling the globe, in order to win a bet.
But that was fiction. Who could have imagined that many years later a real-life horse would come along and travel around the world three times. Yes, when Forever Young landed in New York recently for the Gold Cup, he had increased his distance traveled during his racing career to approximately 75,000 miles. While the fictional Fogg’s even-up wager amounted to winnings of 20 thousand English pounds, Forever Young’s winnings have amounted to a record 31 million American dollars.
If you want to know how chaotic the colt’s travel schedule has been during his career, he has flown from Japan to Saudi Arabia to Dubai to Kentucky to Japan to California to Japan to Saudi Arabia to Dubai to Japan to California to Japan to Saudi Arabia to Dubai to Japan to New York. And he will shortly be off to Kentucky, this time to Lexington.
Despite all this traveling, he has won 12 of his 16 starts and has never finished out of the money, while competing at 10 different racetracks. And he has never ducked anyone, whether it was America’s Horse of the Year Sierra Leone or Hong Kong’s two-time Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior, or America’s eventual Sprint champion Book’em Danno, or Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro, all four of whom he defeated.
One person who knows Forever Young as well as anyone is Kate Hunter, who has traveled with him to many of his destinations. Hunter recruits Japanese horses to run in the United States for the Breeders’ Cup, Churchill Downs, and NYRA and assists in their preparation. She also helps manage the quarantine procedures of the Japanese horses in the Middle East. During her travels she has had numerous opportunities to witness the qualities that make Forever Young so special.
“I’ve been traveling with the Japanese horses now for 10 years, and a fan of racing in general for 20 years, and I have never seen a horse like him, who is able to establish such a high level of consistency while continuously country-hopping,” she said. “International travel is more common with turf horses, as we’ve seen with the number of Coolmore runners, but his ability to show such gameness race after race is something we don’t see much with dirt horses.”
Hunter also is amazed by Forever Young’s resiliency and ability to bounce out of his races. “He always comes out of his races in great shape, maybe a little tired sometimes, but never exhausted,” she said. “He’s probably the most mentally and physically sound horse I’ve ever seen. To travel with a horse of this caliber has been a real honor. ”
Sometimes it is the small things that stand out and leave a lasting impression, Hunter recalls when Forever Young was a 3-year-old before qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. The colt had never had a carrot before, and because she was giving some to Japan’s two top horses at the time, Derma Sotogake and Ushba Tesoro, she brought Forever Young some carrot slices. They were just the regular supermarket carrots, and after fumbling with them for a little while he spit them out. The next day she was able to get fresh organic carrots. She tried again, and this time he bit into it, chewed it with gusto, and swallowed it, then reached for more.
“Of course, he liked the most expensive carrots and he now consumes 50 pounds of carrots a week, even the supermarket kind if he has to, and will bully you for them,” Hunter said. “I created a monster.”
Like any king, Forever Young is used to being treated like one, and wants only the best. Last year at Del Mar, Hunter did whatever she could to make life easier for him. He had two tack rooms, a private wash area, and his own laundry area. Every person in the barn, including all the other grooms, did what Forever Young’s groom wanted. Although he is a gentleman on the track, Hunter said he can be pretty tough getting tacked up, so that required nine people — three helping with the saddle, two holding his shoulder on each side, one holding his head, and three blocking the exit so the colt would feel boxed in and would stand still.
Hunter said his sire Real Steel was the same way in the saddling yard. If anyone remembers Forever Young’s grandsire Sunday Silence, they might recall the time he spotted a camera man at the gap one morning during Belmont week. He suddenly reared up and kicked his trainer Charlie Whittingham in the head. Fortunately, Whittingham was only grazed.
Forever Young certainly has left his mark in the United States, losing by two noses in the Kentucky Derby, finishing third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic to America’s Horse of the Year Sierra Leone; winning the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic over Sierra Leone, and winning this year’a Jockey Club Gold Cup off an almost six-month layoff. The only other horses to win the Classic and Gold Cup are Hall of Famers Curlin, Skip Away, and Cigar.
Forever Young’s victory on opening day of the new Belmont Park was not pretty. Facing a watered-down field of four following the defection of reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty and the scratches of several others in what was originally a seven-horse field, Forever Young’s action in the stretch was sloppy and he failed to change leads. Still, after taking the lead with ease at the head of the stretch, he drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths in a solid 2:01 1/5 for the 1 1/4 miles.
Forever Young wins the 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup on opening day at the newly renovated Belmont Park.
And what I loved most about it was his trainer Yoshito Yahagi expressing his displeasure with the effort to the media. I found his transparency extremely refreshing. No cliches that offer little insight. He said what he felt and didn’t try to gloss over any flaws he saw in the colt’s performance. The Japanese are perfectionists and that has enabled them to become a world power in Thoroughbred racing.
But there is another aspect of Forever Young’s Gold Cup effort that should be mentioned. From my own experience watching races at Belmont Park for nearly 60 years, I found that horses often have difficulty changing leads there compared to other tracks. With its huge mile and a half circumfrence and long sweeping turns, horses, especially those going wide turning for home, as Forever Young did, don’t cut the corner as easily as they do at other tracks with much shorter and sharper turns. That can make switching leads more difficult for horses not accustomed to the track, as the turn into the stretch is much more gradual.
By being stuck on his left lead, there was no rhythm to his action and he wasn’t able to level off with any extension to his stride. Again, that is just my take on his race and is not meant to state anything definitive. The bottom line is I believe he will be just fine on the sharp turns at Keeneland, especially with a work in over the track.
Remember, coming into the Gold Cup off a layoff, Forever Young was not 100 percent fit, and as prestigious as the race is, it still was only a prep for the Classic. Also, since he traveled to Del Mar for the Classic two years ago, this was the first new track he has encountered; one with its own quirks, such as a sandy surface, its immense mile and a half oval, and breaking from an awkwardly positioned starting gate on the first turn.
One of the reasons Americans feel Forever Young is, in some ways, is one of theirs is his pedigree. We go back to his paternal great-grandsire, the aforementioned Sunday Silence, whose co-owner and breeder Arthur B. Hancock III died last week at age 83. The quintessential rags to riches story, Sunday Silence’s background as a young horse is one of the great adventure stories of the American Turf, one of rejection, tragedy, financial crises, and ultimate triumph.
Stone Farm’s Arthur Hancock III shown with 1989 Horse of the Year, Sunday Silence.
Hancock in his own way also was rejected when, as the oldest son of Claiborne Farm owner Arthur B. “Bull” Hancock, Jr., he was passed over as head of the historic farm in Paris, Kentucky following the death of the elder Hancock in 1972. The snub, orchestrated by a three-man committee of trustees and executors, forced Arthur to leave Claiborne Farm where he grew up and build his own racing empire from a 100-acre tract of land called Stone Farm, about eight miles from Claiborne. Not only did he succeed, expanding Stone Farm to a 2,300-acre thriving breeding establishment, he beat Claiborne Farm and the committee head, Ogden Phipps, to the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle in 1982, capturing the roses with longshot Gato del Sol.
Then came his horse of a lifetime, Sunday Silence, the irrascible colt who no one wanted at the sales and who survived a deadly van accident returning from a sale that was caused when the driver suffered a fatal heart attack. The van overturned, with Sunday Silence fortunately surviving and with only minor injuries. This after having survived a virus the year before that nearly killed him. As we all know, Sunday Silence would go on to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Breeders’ Cup Classic and be named Horse of the Year. But because of financial debt and a lack of interest from American breeders, Hancock, majority owner of the colt, was forced to sell him to Japanese owner and breeder Zenya Yoshida. The young stallion founded his own dynasty, becoming the most influential sire ever in Japan, whose blood can now be found in a number of American-trained horses.
Sunday Silence became the leading stallion in Japan for 13 straight years, siring an amazing 171 stakes winners. One of them was the great Deep Impact, the undefeated Japanese Triple Crown winner who sired multiple stakes winner Real Steel, as mentioned the sire of Forever Young.
Looking at Forever Young’s female family, we see top-class sprinters Roamin Rachel, winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes, and her sire Mining, winner of the Grade 1 Vosburgh, back in his third and fourth generations, respectively. Both were sent to Japan in 2002. But before Roamin Rachel left the United States she produced a daughter by Deputy Minister to be named Darling My Darling, who was purchased by John Oxley for $300,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Racing in the name of Oxley’s wife Debby, Darling My Darling finished second in the Grade 1 Matron and Frizette Stakes at 2 and won a listed stakes at 3 and 4.
The spring of 2001 was a busy one for the Oxleys and their trainer John Ward. In an attempt to focus his attention on the Kentucky Derby, Ward brought a handful of classic-type horses to Churchill Downs and set up a separate stable with the goal of getting one or more of them to the Derby. He pretty much turned the barn over to assistant Yvonne Azeff, who hired her own help. One of the colts who looked likely to get to the Derby was the Oxleys’ Florida Derby winner Monarchos. Ward, who had his main string stabled at Keeneland, including Darling My Darling, would drive to Churchill every several days to check on the horses there.
On April 19, Ward had saddled Darling My Darling to win the 1 1/16-mile Doubledogdare Stakes, which she won easily by 3 3/4 lengths. Two weeks later Monarchos romped by 4 3/4 lengths in the Kentucky Derby, running the 1 1/4 miles in 1:59 4/5, the Derby’s second fastest clocking behind Secretariat’s track record set in 1973.
For Darling My Darling, the Doubledogdare Stakes was her final hurrah. as she turned in subpar efforts in the Grade 1 Hempstead and Go For Wand Handicaps at Belmont and Saratoga, respectively, and was retired. She would produce 14 foals, seven of whom were unraced. Her only two stakes winners, in fact the only two to even place in a stakes, were fillies Forever Darling, by Congrats, born in 2013, and Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon, born in 2015. Forever Darling won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at 3 and Heavenly Love captured the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes at 2.
Who could have imagined that these two daughters of Darling My Darling would produce arch rivals who would both win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with each beating the other. Heavenly Love, bred to Gun Runner, produced the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year Sierra Leone, while Forever Darling, sent to Japan and bred to Group 1 Dubai Turf winner Real Steel, produced the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Forever Young.
But before they even got to their Breeders’ Cup battles, both colts were very familiar with each other, having squared off in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, where they battled the length of the stretch, bumping and shoving each other every step of the way, with Sierra Leone initiating the contact by continuously coming in on Forever Young. A big strong colt, Sierra Leone was leaning all over Forever Young, who wouldn’t be intimidated and gave it right back to him.
But their skirmish proved costly for both of them, as they finished noses apart, beaten just inches by longshot Mystik Dan, who just barely held on for the victory. Sierra Leone’s jockey Tyler Gaffalione, unable to keep his horse straight, was actually fined $2,500 for reaching over and putting his hand on Forever Young near the wire, which he appeared to do to brace himself from a possible collision and fall. There were no stewards’ inquiries or foul claims, so it was Mystik Dan first by a nose, with Sierra Leone a nose in front of a game Forever Young.
Racing’s combating cousins, met again later in the year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with Sierra Leone winning to nail down Horse of the Year honors, and Forever Young closing to finish third. They faced each other for the third time in 2025, and it was Forever Young turning the tables on Sierra Leone, holding off his rival’s late bid to win by a half-length.
Forever Young shown winning the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.
Sierra Leone, Mystik Dan, and Fierceness, the 2024 Kentcky Derby favorite and Travers winner, all retired at the end of 2025, but Forever Young, despite his crowning achievement in the Classic, returned this year at age 5, winning the $20 million Saudi Cup for the second straight year before finishing second in the Dubai World Cup to American-trained Magnitude, who was pretty much able to control a soft pace. Given the late spring and summer off, Forever Young will now attempt to become the only horse other than Tiznow in 2000 and 2001 to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic twice, and also do it in back-to-back years.
As Kate Hunter said, “If Forever Young had raced exclusively in America his whole career I’m pretty sure the turf writers would be falling over themselves, calling him one of the greatest.”
Well, NYRA racecaller Frank Mirahmadi has already called him “One of the greatest Thoroughbreds of all time,” as he strode home in The Jockey Club Gold Cup. Some may consider that comment somewhere between exaggeration and hyperbole. But the fact that a veteran racecaller who has been around a long time calling races at some of the top tracks in the country can get that caught up in the moment says something about the effect Forever Young has on even rational people.
Yes, Forever Young is a Japanese owned, trained, and bred horse, but tell that to the many Americans who will be cheering him on in this year’s Classic. And tell that to his many fans in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, who also have adopted him and will be cheering for him as well.
And now he travels once again, this time just a jaunt down to Kentucky. And from there, who knows? He could try for a third Saudi Cup; he could run in one of two big races in Japan in late December, or he could make the 2027 breeding season at Shadai Stallion Station, which begins in February. We should know more after the Breeders’ Cup.
We began this column with song lyrics from the 1960s and we will end with song lyrics from the 1960s. But we’ll slightly change the words of the Peter, Paul, and Mary song titled “500 Miles.”
No matter where you are in the world, when it comes to the Forever Young Express, “You can hear the whistle blow 75,000 miles.”
And counting?
Photos courtesy of Coglianese Photo/Walter Wlodarczyk, NYRA/Chelsea Durand, Arthur Hancock, and Benoit Photo.
Racing historian, author, and award-winning retired journalist for the Daily Racing Form and The Blood-Horse, Steve Haskin was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame’s Media Roll of Honor in 2016. Known for his racing knowledge and insightful prose, he has been an exclusive contributor to Secretariat.com since 2020.
I just watched Tapit’s daughter win The Spinster. She put away a nice horse in the stretch. It’ll be interesting to see what she earned for a #, as she ran straight, smart and strong
Kudos to Daryz, a back-to-back winner of the Arc!
Awesome!
In loving memory of Secretariat who passed away 37 years ago today.
It’s hard to believe it’s been so long!
I know the feeling!
I was thinking about that, too. He died on the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. And now all his immediate family are there with him.
Jiffy, I did not realize at first that he died on St Francis of Assisi feast day.
Santa Anita was deep, yesterday …not that fast….Oak Leaf 1:44 2/5 is PRETTY SOLID, over that surface ..Hughes did 1:43 1/5 and his Beyer was 100…?USS Valor? He got a 95……Just going to repeat: Domain Expansion is a nice filly! Going to fetch a good price—the West is certainly weak, but the TWO YEAR OLDS are facing multiple BOB horses…..that long striding filly blew past them, galloping out around 100 yards in front!…
Same can be said for Keeneland…. heard that the track received between 3/4 to an 1 inch of rain the day before.
I watched the replay of DOMAIN EXPANSION race she looked beautiful.. What race was Moss and Bailey watching???
Congrats to John Grabowski. talk about a name from the past. He used to ride here at Turf Paradise and he was a very good jockey. Hope his success continues with DOTSY !!!
At this juncture, Hughes and U.S.S. Valor appear to be the top 2yr. old colts on 2027 Derby trail. Both have exhibited speed with the ability to carry it over a distance of ground. With respect to stamina influence, I would give the nod to Hughes. His sire, Into Mischief needs no introduction, but it must be pointed out that his dam’s sire, Union Rags won the Belmont stakes, as did his 2nd dam’s sire, Point Given.
With the recent announcement that U.S.S. Valor with skip the BC Juvenile and point to the Remsen, I would question the merits of that decision. Are his connections reluctant to go up against Hughes in the BC Juvenile? It appears that way to me.
Bill Barry Irwin is pointing his battleship to The Remsen, at 9 furlongs in early December..
Bill,
I think it more about spacing and not about avoiding Hughes. Either BC needs to move deeper into November or prep races to be run two weeks earlier or compromised between the two. Again 2 for 42. Is not a great percentage.
Your points are well taken, DTS.
I think there’s a helping of superstition, as well! To be fair, the BC Juvenile + Derby double has been really difficult to attain.
No Breeders Cup, for USS Valor…and I’m fine with that….The Derby is their goal….
I hope the connections for Coach Pope come to the same decision. He ran very hard yesterday I don’t want any bone bruising to show up. Let him grow and fill out and mature… take it slow and easy with him
Steve,,
Secretariat last race as a 2 year old was in early November and his 1st race as a 3 year old was in March. Do you know were he was sent those months in between?
Dear Downthestretch,
Following his victory in the Garden State Stakes, Secretariat was shipped to Hialeah where he stabled for the winter. On March 10, he returned to New York.
~The Secretariat.com team
Thank You for the quick response.
Moss and Bailey were not impressed, by maiden Domain Expansion…I just watched her replay—three Bob fillies in the race, Domain Expansion waited…got outside then just blew them away! 1:44 2/5 maybe not as good as the Keeneland fillies…and the big dark grey that won The Frizette looked really good….Domain Expansion…by Speaker’s Corner is going to be 25-1, I’ll be watching her works, she looked good today..
Right on Steve. USS Valor’s only question is distance progression. He runs like a well seasoned 4 year old already and today he showed his determination in spades. When you look at his breeding do you see any reason why he wouldn’t continue getting better with more distance?
USS Valor was ultra impressive in the Champagne. He was so good he gave me chills.
Me as well, Ms B…I am looking forward to the BC Juvenile…
It seems like Barry Irwin will decide to skip the BC Juvenile and rather go for the Remsen as he believes the premier 2-year-old Stakes is detrimental to the goal of winning the Derby….
Winning the Remsen on December 5 at the new Belmont could be a good step for U. S. S. Valor given the recent history of the 9-furlong Stakes.
Nelson,
I thought the same thing but not for U S S Valor but for Coach Pope. If his connection are thinking Kentucky Derby long term. I would definitely consider skipping the BC Juvenile especially after today’s race. He ran his heart out (so did QB Rocket) and did not quit at the end, This was a hard run race on a slow racing surface.
Look there have been 42 BC Juvenile races but only 2 winners have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby. Look at Ned Toffey, Brant and MR AP from last year they raced in the Juv and none them made it to the derby. The race Coach Pope ran today had to take a lot out of him. He was pushing all the fractions. I would give him about a month off and then start light training again and possibly be looking at the Los Alamitos Futurity on December 12th ( I would not look at the Remsen at 1 1/8 too long of a race) which looks right now might come up weak as Baffert, other than Hughes, looks not to have any world beaters in his barn. This might be an easy way to pick up a Grade 2 win.. If they rule that out then I would just shut him down and put him in light training starting in mid December wait to after the first of the year…. possibly Oaklawn. He is too good of a horse.
As much as I hate to say it but Irwin might be right about skipping the Juvenile. The spacing on these last prep races before the Juvenile are all wrong as it should be closer to 6 weeks not 4 weeks these are 2 year olds.
Your point about the damaging effect of the spacing between the Grade One preps and the BC Juvenile makes a lot of sense. This must be one of the main reasons BC Juvenile participants have not endured to the TC series since the 2020 and 2023 editions.
Some exceptions are the 2020 edition that included Essential Quality and 6 others that went on to be Stakes winners as 3 and 4 year old; and the 2023 featured Fierceness and Locked. National Treasure (3rd on 2022 behind Forte) in 2022 endured to win Grade One Stakes at 3 and 4.
However, in general, since 2020, the Remsen has produced more lasting colts,
I remember that Instagrand’s owner also decided to skip the BC Juvenile after two spectacular sprint wins; but that did not work for his horse…
Again, as you said, avoiding damaging the fine engines of Coach Pope and U. S. S. Valor by skipping the BC Juvenile is a very sensible decision.
Another fabulous early pick up by Steve!
U. S. S. Valor continues to impress with his spectacular win in the Champagne Stakes.
More exciting than his time of 1:34 4/5 is the powerful way he finished signaling the Classics will be to his total liking.
It was a learning experience for the son of War of Will as he had to overcome traffic troubles before entering the homestretch.
Let’s see how Coach Pope and Hughes perform today but it would be hard to top what we have witnessed in the Champagne.
You can never be certain about one turn mile races …Coach Pope looked like a totally different horse today after the 2nd turn…he looked like any kind, breaking his maiden …the short stretch didn’t help him today…I think USS Valor may be special….I need to see two turns…even Bob B got beat, by a long striding filly in the Oak Leaf….Eddie D..75 years old now says they stopped breeding stamina, today the Kentucky Derby has most entrants unable to get ten furlongs…
Agree Mathew… Coach Pope could not overcome the stubborn pressure from Q B Rocket going two turns and had no answer to American History’s late rally.
I hope Coach Pope is OK…
American History won despite a tardy start and thanks to a hall of fame ride by Johny V who was very inspired today at Keeneland. But it wasn’t the most inspiring edition of the Breeders’ Futurity ….
“LEAVE NO DOUBT!”…..
At the top of the stretch USS Valor had to get out, Manny moved him out and bumped the colt that eventually finished 4th …USS Valor was pinballed! Several bumps…..there was no foul claim, the horse was tons best—he is a TANK!
Wanted to see the head on. I thought the outside horse came down a path or two to hold Valor in. The horse got some education to go with the win.
I watched it a third time…the pan shot….and it does look like the outside horse came in and bumped first…
Wow, Randy Moss just said on the NBC national broadcast….he thinks they will not be running Sovereignity any more, after what he described as a poor work…???….
4f 51.5 50/51
Golden Tempo had a nice workout: 4f 48.4 25/85
And Jose has committed, chosing GT over Magnitude..
Roy H and Fallen Angel now run with the Heavenly Herd.
Condolences to all the connections.
Yes, Very sad news here Lynda
In the ” I agree with him” department ::
This is a quote from Ken McPeek on HRN website.
Ken McPeek when he was asked about Coach Pope Beyer figures after his first 2 races (which were 89 & 86.
” I think Beyer figures are a Joke !!! I don’t even read them. “I like the speed rating variants.” ” I trust the Thoro-graph sheets or Ragozins, But the Beyer, figures are just, for me , I don’t think they’re to be trusted at all.”
The Beyer is a classic example of a successful product despite not being the best one. The advertisements for sires use it ad nauseum … breeders find it simple enough to entice people; but the figures are very often misleading for handicapping purposes.
Steve, thank you for this wonderful column on Forever Young. Ever since you gave us the heads up on the 2024 Derby Trail, I have been smitten with Forever Young and enjoyed every race as he fought with grit and determination to beat his competition.
I was surprised to hear that it sometimes took up to nine handlers to get him saddled as it conflicts with his sweet disposition when engaging with his fans. I’ll never forget the scene during one of his works preparing for the 2024 Derby when, upon his return to the stable, he stopped along the rail to allow the kids to pet him. How sweet that was as I watched in awe when he reached out to those children.
I’m glad you mentioned the mileage that Forever Young has wracked up in traveling the world to compete against the best. He ducked no one and is deserving of being celebrated as one of the best ever to race. BTW, would Forever Young, having raced five times in the U.S., be eligible for the Hall of Fame? Just curious.
Thank you, Steve
There is more anticipation in the Champagne Stakes as it features the clash of the two most captivating 2-year-old colts in the East.
Gaudreau defeated U. S. S. Valor in their debut at Saratoga on August 8.; but for the majority of analysts U. S. S. Valor was the better horse that day after becoming a troublesome trip. This perception was validated after the son of War of Will annihiliated a Saratoga field in a monumental time of 1:22 for 7 furlongs.
However, Gaudreau presented himself as a runner very hard to pass given the way he fended off the final charge of Coach Pope and U. S. S. Valor.
Gaudreau is a son of Nyquist out of a Congrats mare. It is notable that out of the 12 Grade One winners sired so far by Nyquist eight (8) come from an A. P. Indy broodmare sire. And Congrats, of course, is in vogue for being the broodmare sire of the great Forever Young!
Nysos and Kinightsbridge were the last sons of Nyquist that were considered Derby bound before untimely injuries took them out of consideration. You know what those early Derby prospects did afterwards. So, Gaudreau got license to also be a good one down the road.
The second dam of Gaudreau is by Holy Bull which is assuring but I am more biased because his fourth dam is my very first Thoroughbred hero. Gelinotte was one of the best fillies in the history of Venezuelan horse racing.
In 1980 the daughter of Never Bend out of Mariachi by Princequillo attempted a record Guinness of winning both the Triple Crown for fillies and the Classic one simultaneously. She won two first legs at a mile, the two second legs at 10 furlongs, the last leg of the fillies Triple Crown and 12 furlongs, and was defeated at the last jewel of the open Triple Crown at 12 furlongs. After battling valiantly the whole 2,400 meters the colt Sweet Candy (Bold and Brave-Thehexess by Blue Prince) put a length ahead in the final 20 yards.
After running 6 times in 9 weeks, Gelinotte, was understandably tired but gave it her all every time.
It is peculiar that the same year of 1980 Genuine Risk also attempted to win the open Triple Crown in America.
If Gaudreau inherited the heart and the flair of Gelinotte he will certainly be a regular headliner over his career.
Anyway, the colt winning more impressively in the Champagne, Breeders’ Futurity, and the American Pharoah Stakes will very likely be the BC Juvenile favorite.
The last two BC Juvenile winners ran at Keeneland (Essential Quality in 2020 and Forte 2022) had won the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. That victory at the track hosting the apex race is a big advantage.
We shall see…
Nelson, thank you for posting the background of the exceptional Gelinotte, a descendant of one of the handful of Domino mares that shaped 20th century genetics. I was not at all familiar with her, much less that she had attempted to win not one but two triple crowns, back when the best Venezuelan racehorses were on par with the best in the rest of the world. You probably know this, but you can read her full racing history (with links to videos) on her page on Pedigree Query.
My pleasure Ms B.
Yes I am aware of the site featuring her bio. It is the only source to preserve the historic memory of Venezuelan horse racing . I have contributed to that website during my time as racehorse analysts in Venezuela.
It was amazing how the nick Nasrullah-Princequillo was still very successful in the 80’s in Venezuela… Gelinotte and Sweet Candy were champions carrying that famous nick.
It is curious that the three Grade One Stakes for 2-year-olds today all got six (6) horses entered.
The American Pharoah Stakes looks to be an easy task for Hughes. The undefeated son of Into Mischief is at least on second faster than the rest especially at 1 1/16 mile. You cannot find a female family with more Classic broodmare sires and a more promising early career progression…
The same can be said of Coach Pope in the Claiborne Breeder’ Futuriy despite the high expectations around the $1.9-million colt Q B Rocket. Both are regally bred but Coach Pope seems to have the upper hand at the 1 1/6-mile contest.
Q B Rocket will be stepping up from 6 furlong to the two turn race while Coach Pope has already proven the distance plays to his favor.
I don’t recall Coach Pope’s trainer Ken McPeek having a more promising 2-year-old since Tejano Run.
Another intriguing horse is American History. The $825 K purchase by Constitution won his debut by almost 8 lengths at Saratoga logging 1:17 2/5 for 6.5 furlongs. He looked like he will be better at two turns; and that he will improve a lot as he grows.
BTW Phone Boot running in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity will be a gauge of how good Hughes is. The California invader has been defeated twice by Hughes by an average of 6.5 lengths.
Nelson, I think you’re going to be very surprised. Hughes may very well win, but Imperial Honor is very good – and his numbers for his maiden win are stronger than Hughes’ for his last. He also worked on even terms with Hughes. Of course, that horse has already proven his class, and he’s got much more of a foundation than IH, but IH can win – and if he doesn’t, I think he’ll be vary competitive
Good points Betsy.
When it comes to Baffert’s barn we cannot say that Hughes is even his best shot for the Triple Crown.
I should have mentioned Imperial Honor as the one with great raw talent that may easily grow to be a leading horse in his famous barn. Going from 5.5 furlongs to 1 1/16 mile in his second start is a big ask. I remember that Medina Spirit won his debut at 5.5 furlongs in his only race at two and then was second to Life is Good in their 3-year-old debut in the mile of the Sham Stakes. Medina Spirit had more than a month to grow in that case…
As you said I am relying on Hughes experience and great progression to assert his leading status in the West.
Sharp read on American History. He looks like he will appreciate more distance. Do you think he just benefited from a hot paced battle between the two front runners today?
I had a lovely time streaming the races from Keeneland (it’s easy! Just go to the track website and watch “live racing”) while also streaming the races from Belmont on Hulu today. Tomorrow should be another humdinger. The main grass course at the new Belmont has a beautiful sweep — but it’s so wide that the horses starting in one of the early grass races had to cover a lot of ground just to get to the rail. The live feed at Keeneland really makes you feel as though YOU have a ring side seat in the paddock, in the stands, and in the winners’ circle! Pleased that I picked Emphatic as the winner of the Alcibiades, mostly on looks. Then I looked up her pedigree — her third dam, Tap Your Heels, is the momma of Tapit.
The ease of which you write about horse racing its as if you’re sitting across the table telling me the words I view. Only a couple sportscasters have given me that insight, Vin Scully and Chick Hearn. Thank you for the writings as its always a pleasure to follow.
Bill Dawson want to know your thoughts on the 3 big 2 year old races tomorrow? You have been quiet lately.
Hi Downthestretch
From my perspective, the oddsmakers are spot on with their respective top choices.
G1 American Pharoah Stakes; Hughes
G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity; Coach Pope
G1 Champagne; U.S.S. Valor
With respect to those three, Hughes appears to be the best Derby prospect moving forward, IMO.
Good luck, DTS.
Bill
Thanks for your prospective on the races and glad you answered. I pretty much agree with it Champagne too me is a toss up between 3 horses. If Coach Pope can get a clean break from the gate and the right ride (just off the pace he should win it. Too me he is a push button horse. The American Pharoah will tell us what Hughes is made of. I wish Imperial had another race under his belt…he has potential. GOOD LUCK BILL !!!
should have been “perspective”.
Forever Young is in the history books as the horse finally proving that Japan can also produce world champions on the dirt. Conquering the best dirt runners in America was their Waterloo: a reshaping triumph of the Japan’s breeding and training systems. The land of the rising sun has historically been a seedbed of world-class turf runners and now it is capable of producing elite dirt runners as well.
Forever Young was the only dirt runner named horse of the year in Japan. Thanks to his exploits the Japan Racing Association and the National Association of Racing came together to create the DIRT Triple Crown to be held at the Ohi racetrack. They reorganized three Stakes for all Japanese 3-year-olds:
The Haneda Hai (end of April) at 1,800 meters, the Tokyo Derby (mid June) at 2,000 meters, and the Japan Dirt Classic held the first week of October also at 2,000 meters.
Should Forever Young win again the BC Classic he will be cementing his stature as one of the greatest runners of the Century.
it won’t be easy specially if Sovereignty regains tip-top shape the next four weeks; and if Magnitude plays as he did when defeating Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup last March.
However, the Japanese star seems to dislike Meydan as he lost with (less heralded) Hit Show and Mixto in the 2025 edition bouncing after his greatest performance ever defeating Romantic Warrior the world’s richest racehorse.
Also, in a speed favoring Keeneland, Knightsbridge could very well outdo Magnitude to win the BC Classic a la Skip Away.
Defeating two Derby winners would look really good in Forever Young’s bio. With its header reading “The Modern Iron Horse”.
Nice piece Nelson. Good addition to Steve ‘s article.
Thanks DTS. I am glad you like it.
I just read that Next has been officially retired. He was an exciting horse to follow. It’s nice to know he has an owner who will see that he is well taken care of. Too often, owners will get lucky with a claim and enjoy the glory then let the horse fall through the cracks when they’re no longer useful. Trainers are complicit in this; some are much worse than others.
Next will go down as one of my all-time favorites. It is wild to me that TBs descend from horses bred for 2-4 mile races, and now they are most commonly run in sprints, 8F, and the shorter routing races. No matter the division, I always pull for these geldings who show up year, in year out. I was really pleased to read that Next is retiring sound and that they’re excited for his new OTTB career. I hope he gets his chance to shine in retirement as well! From videos of Next in the barn, he takes his status as the king very seriously, so I hope he continues to be “that horse” to someone (or a bunch of folks) in retirement. Congratulations, Next!
So enjoyed reading this Steve.
Win or lose Forever Young will forever be in my heart!
A 2yo first time starter…a Cal bred filly…dark grey…by Halliday/Unbridled ‘s Song…named Ember Royale…. didn’t fly out of the gate but quickly made the front ..hit the half in :44 1/5…kept opening up…won by 17 lengths, in 1:09 1/5, which is an amazing time….she was a $50k yearling purchase ..
Pretty impressive !!! Now we got to see if she can do it again and not a one trick pony.
I always get excited for a Cal bred…I also like a good NY bred, they are underdogs…
Decades ago…you wouldn’t have gr1s, out west without a solid Cal bred or three….today they are rare….
What fantastic races last weekend by two easy to root for under dogs Chunk of Gold and Coal Battle !!
大変読み応えのある面白い記事でした。
フォーエバーヤングについてこのように詳しく書いて頂きありがとうございます。
サンデーサイレンスは日本の宝です。
I just got the translation. It says “It was a very interesting article.
Thank you for writing this into detail about Forever Young.
Sunday Silence is a Japanese treasure.”
(Although we hated to lose him, Hancock had no choice. But I’m glad he is a treasure in two countries. You dont see that too often. You can go back to Ribot and Nijnsky and horses like that. But they werent nearly at this level as a racehorse and stallion).
Per Thoroughbred Daily News, Renegade sidelined for the rest of the year by bone bruise, may return for 4yo campaign next year per Todd Pletcher.
This is bummer news for the Renegade connections but Pletcher said he will be back next year. But this maybe good news for the Further Ado (FA) connections as Irad Ortiz Jr has been his regular rider and now with Renegade not going to BCC I would think he will be chosen over Flavien Prat to ride FA. That is my hope. I really like FA chancesin the BCC.
In other news what a sad state of affairs the 2 year old division has become.
Champagne Stakes … Only 5 horses enter ,granted 3 really good ones in that race, but still only 5!
Kentucky Breeders Futurity … Only 6 horses entered … If Coach Pope looks as good as he did in his maiden win everyone else is running for 2nd. Was glad to see he finally had a workout on 9/26.
American Pharoah … 6 entered but 5 of them trained by Baffert. Bill Dawson any word on why Inshallah was not entered here??? Thought Sadler was aiming him for this race… In other surprises was Baffert decided to entered Hughes here when after he won the Del Mar Futurity. Baffert made it sound like his next race would be the BC Juvenile ‘ Imperial Honor was entered nothing like going from the frying pan into the fire.
What happen to all those hundreds of thousand to million dollar purchases at the sales over the last 2 years and you can only get 17 horses entered over 3 major prep races for the BC Juvenile….. This is really pathetic.
I’m a huge Golden Tempo fan, and I was looking forward to their rivalry. But who knows if either will return as 4yos given today’s early retirement of promising
3yos. Sad to champion horses with such short racing careers.
Imperial Honor is very good – he and Hughes worked on even terms a few days ago. Of course he still has to prove his class, but why not give it a go? A good effort sends him to the BC.
Inshallajh has shin issues and is sidelined until next year
Thanks for info on Inshallah
You’re welcome
Jon Hardoon, the astute handicapper who represents Ra the ozin Sheets…says the lasix ban has made schedules more sparse, on racing..the fear of a bad bleed keeps horses in the barns, and is why the graded stakes fields are getting smaller ..I know if I had a bad bleed I’d put my horse away for the year..it can get into a young horse’s head…
(Ragozin, my phone doesn’t work well)…
Wonderfully told, Steve, as always. You do all the heavy lifting of exhaustive research, and give us a great story. I also recommend “Dark Horses”, written by Arthur Hancock – anybody interested in this topic should give it a read. Like your piece today, it traces the long trail that led to a couple of Champions. I’m 100% in the Forever Young camp and I’m eagerly awaiting the Breeder’s Cup, where I hope he’ll do his thing!
Thanks for the article Steve. I learned so much. I have questions. What were the problems with the Hancocks? Was Clabourne jealous of Sunday Silence? Why was Stone Farm broke? When Sunday Silence was sold to Japan America lost a great stallion for American breeding. I know they didn’t t know that at the time. Are there any books about the background of the Hancocks at that time? Was there collusion with other farms for not offering to stand Sunday Silence in the US. What was the Easy Goer and Claiborne influence in this story? This reminds me a little bit of Calumet and Alydar. I know a stallion didn’t die but all the surroundings of a story that never gets told. If you have any articles or books you can reference I’d greatly appreciated it. Thank you again for these stories. I look forward to them every week.
Arthur wrote an autobiography. He was also a very good songwriter. Arthur was sort of a playboy and rebellious and Seth was .more serious and like his Father. Ogden Phipps was the one who chose Seth to take over the farm after Bull died. Arthur owed the bank a lot of .money and had to sell SS to pay off the loan because American breeders had no interest in him.
Who ARE the stars of this year’s Breeders Cup? By far the biggest is Forever Young….who knows, about Sovereignity? Knightsbridge is intriguing….Nitrogen is a very good filly…WHO is the sprinter? It’s Englishman, beat him to win….Filly sprinter? Ways and Means will be tough…I love Sweet Azteca…I don’t know if she’s still the same mare, if she is they are running for 2nd….two races the Breeders Cup should not have: the F & M Sprint, and the F & M Turf, because SPEED & STAMINA are EQUAL, in horses, separate the dirt races but not the two I mentioned, and most of all …bring it back to ONE BIG DAY….it used to be seven races, and they were better, fuller races, fillies did just fine, in the Sprint and in the Turf…..
If Sweet Azteca is right Ways and Means will never catch her.
Much like Seattle Slew and Zenyatta…Forever Young’s best races have been losses, his Kentucky Derby —he was mugged, by a bigger colt AND jockey, who pushed off on him, which should’ve instantly disqualified Sierra Leone…his other American loss, in my opinion is his greatest performance, ridden out of the gate like a Quarter Horse, from the sometimes disadvantageous Del Mar rail (I think the DMR rail WAS bad, for the 2024 Breeders Cup)…he kept on plugging away, bearing put while tiring, he never spit out the bit, which at ten furlongs is a sign of a very good horse…. this year he will be the star of the show, we already know what to expect—he will show up!..
Graet take!!
I think Forever Young’s best attribute is his consistency over several years. He’s not spectacuoar, and i don’t think he should ever be called great, but anyone who wants to beat him has to show up with their best race.
I am with you on that Todd
Personally and when his racing days are over, I think Forever Young should retire to Stone Farm. Return to his roots and a tribute to the man who bred Sunday Silence. What goes around, comes around.
When Forever Young won BCC last year I wrote this to my horseracing friends:”Sunday Silence takes 3 dozen years to finish the revenge against US breeders and comeback with a wing called Umamusume”. For bettors he is a guarantee with 100% top3; for US racecourses he is the key to a whole new, young customer group which they never expected even 1 year before(just look at gangs of cosplayers at JCGC); and for the Umamusume fans she(I say she because he is already added in Umamusume and this is from their perspective) is ambassador of the new big thing in the anime community. It’s a multi win. I really want him win BCC this year for a funny reason: it can lead to a hilarious timeline that FY wins US HOTY next year but not JP one, because there are some other strong contenders of JP HOTY there like a double crown winner aiming on the triple and some big names in older horses
I really enjoyed this, Steve. As composed as Forever Young is under saddle, I would never have guessed that he is a booger to tack up. I thought he looked like a cheetah walking in the paddock at Belmont.
I do think he’s ours, the way Shohei Otani is ours. We have gotten to witness his professionalism and some high drama with Forever Young here in the US, so we have adopted him. The family just comes home in one horse whenever he is stateside.
Any chance there’s a story worth writing about Congrats? I feel like every week, you (or one of the smart commenters) point out another horse to like with Congrats headlining the distaff lines.
P.S. – I saw that you said you said you aren’t getting the Thorograph numbers anymore. I feel like you’ve really shown us how to read and use them, and your success with them has been staggering. Please tell me you’re just handicapping old school for a bit? So many of us love the ride with you every week, no matter how you’re analyzing ponies. ❤️
Steve,
Very enjoyable reading on Forever Young. He definitely does have a huge following around the world. Thanks for the explanation on lead change issue with some horses at Belmont Park. When watching the JCGC I was puzzled on his action in that race from what I saw in his workout a couple days before the race. I am sure now that he has a race under his belt after his layoff he will get if figured out.
Thanks once again for giving all of us a little bit more incite on Forever Young and his frequent flyer miles and hope they continue.
Steve i absolutely love Forever Young and this article is a forever keeper for me ! bob Dylan Peter paul
And Mary reference and the carrot story incredible and what a horse ! Can’t wait to the classic ! Thanks Steve for all u do
Steve, as a Forever Young fan, I gobbled up this column as if it were a gourmet chocolate bar! Thanks so much for sharing so many things about him I never knew. I loved this.
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but Forever Young is actually named after a different song, one from a TV show owned by a subsidiary of CyberAgent, company founded by his owner Susumu Fujita.
I paraphrased half of that from his page on the Umamusume Wiki but yes that’s a real song and it’s almost definitely the one that the horse was named after.
All I said was he has the same name as the song, which he does.
Steve: amazing reporting on Forever Young, considering most of his connections do not speak English! The Kate Hunter story about Forever Young working his way up to eating bushels of organic carrots was priceless.
I sincerely hope we’ll get to see Forever Young and Sovereignty give their respective alls in the Breeders Cup on Halloween. Rather than root for one or the other, my wish is that we get a race for the ages from two remarkable horses.
p.s, I’m with Frank. Forever Young is at this point in time an unmatched pioneer in the sport of horse racing.
Perfection as usual Steve, gave me chills at the end of the article thinking of the possibilities that the future may hold for my beloved favorite sport.
Thank you
Steve, great stories, but I believe that he will go to stud here in the USA. His Sunday Silence line will not work with a lot of Japanese mares and many American breeders will want to give him a try. He should add durability to lines that need that and of course his stamina for success at a mile and a half. How funny if his genes match well with Candy Ride mares. I am not sure what the nomenclature would be, maybe Japartina?