It\u2019s not often Funabashi sees a true global superstar grace its white sand circuit. That\u2019s not to say good horses don\u2019t make their way to this industrial corner of Chiba at the northern point of Tokyo Bay, the G1 Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro contested this very race the last two years, but having Forever Young on track was different.<\/p>\n
You could see it at the entrance gates to the venue, one of the second tier NAR (National Association of Racing)\u2019s four Tokyo area tracks. A full half-hour train ride east from Tokyo\u2019s business centre, men in dark suits, brief cases in hand, were not put off by either the falling rain or the Wednesday night timing; they rushed straight from the office to get a rare sighting of the best dirt track runner Japan has ever seen. By 8:05pm, off-time for the Jpn2 Nippon TV Hai over 1800 metres, the crowd had swelled, Funabashi was packed.<\/p>\n
Here was a horse that had made his name internationally with a stunning, albeit luckless run, to be beaten a nose and a nose in the G1 Kentucky Derby of all races; who achieved what many Japanese fans felt was unachievable in beating the world\u2019s top-rated turf horse at the time, Romantic Warrior, in an epic G1 Saudi Cup; a horse that had raced only five times previously in his homeland.<\/p>\n
The paddock-side commentator was practically reverential with his words: \u201cIt is a\u00a0rare experience to witness one of the best horses in the world race here in\u00a0Japan, and we should cherish this moment and enjoy his race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Masato Nishizono summed it up more succinctly when the trainer of rival runner Marble Rock said, \u201cIt\u2019s remarkable that he runs here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They weren\u2019t wrong. Forever Young had only been sighted twice on a Japanese race track since his G3 Saudi Derby win in February 2024. The last time was across town at Oi in December, a victory in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten, sandwiched between third-place in the G1 Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic at Del Mar, California and his Saudi Cup win.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Del Mar, and the Breeders\u2019 Cup Classic, is on the flight plan again, and that\u2019s what this was all about, really. Yoshito Yahagi\u2019s charge needed a tune-up in preparation to take on that challenge; he had enjoyed a long rest since his jaded third in the G1 Dubai World Cup in early April, and one month out from the Breeders\u2019 Cup, he needed to show he still had it. Yahagi, it seems, had a very good idea that he did.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, the horse spent the summer at Northern Farm Hayakita, and they sent the\u00a0horse back to me at Ritto in amazing condition, so it was very easy for me to prepare for this race,\u201d Yahagi said after the contest was over.<\/p>\n
A few minutes earlier the crowd had buzzed with anticipation as the pre-race fanfare sounded to accompanying hands clapping. The feeling was more Group 1 than a regular Jpn2 class race.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yahagi had two in the race and Forever Young\u2019s stablemate Revontulet was fast out of the gate, pressing the early lead before settling second, with his storied stablemate tracking in fourth behind the front rank, his head high, tail rigid, disliking the sharp kickback as Light Warrior took on the lead and extended at a quick clip.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The star of the show, white bridle and red reins, was several lengths off the leader going down the back; behind him the field had stretched and split into what looked like three separate races. Forever Young\u2019s ever-present pilot Ryusei Sakai asked him to move closer, running three wide; heading to the final turn he began to drive, bouncing in rhythm.<\/p>\n
Light Warrior dropped away and as they straightened for home the Yahagi pair were at the fore; the crowd roared and Forever Young powered up outside of his determined stablemate, who was ridden by Mirai Iwata.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI told both Ryusei and Mirai, don\u2019t think about each other, just run your own race,\u201d Yahagi told reporters later. \u201cWhen I saw Forever Young going past Revontulet that early, I thought, \u2018Wow, Ryusei has no mercy!\u2019 But then I realised it was me who told him to run his\u00a0own race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within a few strides, Forever Young had imposed his superiority, lengthened smoothly and passed the post two and a half lengths clear, his ears pricked. He returned the 1.1 favourite in a time of 1m 52.2s and earned an obscure place in the trivia books as the only horse to have won races in Group 1, 2, 3 and Jpn1, 2 and 3 classes.<\/p>\n