Forever Young Heads a Star-Studded Roster on the Road to the 2026 Saudi Cup

The Argentine contingent includes Auto Bahn, Descamisado, Full Serrano, Intense for Me and Oasis Boy, joined by Uruguay’s Sí Señor and El Patriota, Chile’s First Constitution and Mufasa, and Brazil’s Mucho Loco and Native Extreme, all of whom appear on the list of pre-entries

Forever Young defeating Romantic Warrior in the 2025 Saudi Cup / JCSA

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (Special to Turf Diario).- The G1 Saudi Cup of 2026 is beginning to take shape—and it does so with a marquee name at the top of the nominations. Defending champion Forever Young (Real Steel), one of the global stars of the sport, heads an imposing roster for the world’s richest race, to be run Saturday, Feb. 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse for a purse of $20 million.

The meeting, staged across two days (Feb. 13–14), is set to deliver an unprecedented concentration of quality: 57 G1 winners among Thoroughbreds and 14 G1 winners among Purebred Arabians, representing 22 countries and competing for an overall purse approaching $40 million. It is a truly international festival that once again places Riyadh at the center of the global racing calendar.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, Forever Young arrives with impeccable credentials. Officially rated the world’s top dirt horse in the Longines Rankings, the standout has been flawless in his two previous Saudi appearances, including victories in the 2024 G3 Saudi Derby and last year’s Saudi Cup, before most recently sealing his status with a triumph in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The American contingent promises to raise the stakes even higher. Among the nominees are White Abarrio (Race Day), G1 Preakness S. winner Journalism (Curlin), along with rising forces such as Nysos (Nyquist), hero of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and Magnitude (Not This Time), fresh off a win in the G2 Clark S. It is a group that guarantees pace, power, and proven class.

Japan—now a dominant force on the world stage—could further bolster its presence with W Heart Bond (Kizuna), winner of the Champions Cup, as well as Diktaean (King Kamehameha) and Mikki Fight (Drefong), both key players in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten, the very race that served as a springboard to Forever Young’s Saudi success.

Locally trained runners are also well represented, led by Sayyah (Karakontie), impressive in the Crown Prince Cup, and Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo), winner of the King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Cup, as Saudi-based connections look to secure their place in the feature.

South America is on the nomination list as well. Argentina is represented by Auto Bahn (Asiatic Boy), Descamisado(Cosmic Trigger), Full Serrano (Full Mast), Intense for Me (Fortify), and Oasis Boy (Asiatic Boy); Uruguay by El Patriota (Ecólogo) and Sí Señor (Señor Candy); Chile by First Constitution (Constitution) and Mufasa (Practical Joke); and Brazil by Mucho Loco (Alcorano) and Native Extreme (Emcee). Notably absent from the Saudi Cup nominations is El Kodigo (Equal Stripes).

The 2026 program also features a landmark addition: the HOWDEN Neom Turf Cup, elevated to G1 status and now the first top-level turf race staged in the jurisdiction, offering $3 million. Expected contenders include global star Rebel’s Romance (Dubawi), alongside Royal Champion (Shamardal) and The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars).

Staying specialists will again converge for the G2 Red Sea Turf H. ($2.5 million), with Durezza (Duramente) and Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) among those nominated, while elite speed will be on display in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint and G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, featuring standouts such as Shisospicy (Mitole), Lazzat (Territories), Tuz (Speightstown), and Dark Saffron (Flameaway).

South America is also poised to feature in the G3 Saudi Derby, where Chilean star Khamal (Mendelssohn), winner of Peru’s G1 Derby Nacional, has been entered—another reminder of the meeting’s truly global reach.

“In just seven editions, the Saudi Cup has become a key sporting and social event for the Kingdom,” said Prince Bandar bin Khaled AlFaisal, chairman of the Saudi Jockey Club, underscoring the festival’s rapid growth and international standing.

With Forever Young as the standard-bearer and a nominations list that blends established champions, emerging stars, and worldwide representation, the 2026 Saudi Cup is already shaping up as another historic chapter in the evolution of global racing.