Forever Young Makes History as Japan Captures First Breeders’ Cup Classic

The Yoshito Yahagi-trained superstar was unstoppable at Del Mar, defeating Sierra Leone and Fierceness, the same rivals who had finished ahead of him in the 2024 edition

Forever Young ran the race of his life at Del Mar / BREEDERS' CUP

DEL MAR, California—Twelve months after finishing third behind Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and Fierceness (City of Light), Japan’s Forever Young returned to Del Mar and rewrote history. The son of Real Steel gained his revenge with a performance for the ages in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, the weekend’s most anticipated event, confirming that Japanese racing has not only joined the international elite—it now leads it.

With the composure of a champion and the unshakable faith of his charismatic trainer Yoshito Yahagi, the grandson of the legendary Deep Impact prevailed by half a length over Sierra Leone, stopping the clock in 2:00.19 for 10 furlongs on a fast track. Fierceness finished third, followed by Journalism (Curlin), Constitution, and Baeza (McKinzie).

It was a race defined by strategy and poise. Positioned closer to the pace than he had been in 2024, Ryusei Sakai kept Forever Young third early, tracking Contrary Thinking (Into Mischief) and Fierceness, who cut out fractions of :23.40, :45.97 and 1:10.48. Into the far turn, the Japanese colt advanced powerfully on the outside, and once in the stretch, his momentum never faltered. Neither the late surge of Sierra Leone nor the fighting spirit of Fierceness—who stumbled slightly at the quarter pole—could reel him in.

For Yahagi, the win carried enormous weight. “I still can’t fully process it,” the trainer admitted on Sunday, visibly emotional. “The media reaction in Japan has been much bigger than I ever imagined, and that really makes me feel the significance of winning the Classic.”

“I checked him this morning, and he came out of the race even better than I expected. He’s developed physically and recovers faster than most horses. That’s what you need to compete at the very highest level,” he added, explaining why his star was so sharp for the occasion.

Yahagi, who previously captured two Breeders’ Cup races—the 2021 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile with Loves Only You(Deep Impact) and the GI Distaff with Marche Lorraine (Orfevre)—celebrated with his trademark humor. “Last night we went to a Mexican restaurant to celebrate and ended up watching the Dodgers win the World Series. It was a great game, a great series… though a little disappointing that our story was upstaged!” he laughed.

Owned by Susumu Fujita, Forever Young banked $3,640,000 to bring his record to 13 starts, 10 wins, and 3 thirds for earnings of $19,358,590, including three Grade I victories. Yet the connections are already looking ahead.

“He’ll stay in training for 2026 as long as he remains sound,” Yahagi revealed. “His next campaign will include the G1 Saudi Cup and the G1 Dubai World Cup. Then he’ll rest for the remainder of 2025—it’s been a demanding year. We want to return to the Breeders’ Cup, though Keeneland will be a tougher challenge for Japanese horses.”

For his part, Sierra Leone once again thrilled the crowd. Trainer Chad Brown accepted the defeat with grace: “The winner ran an incredible race. He stayed close to the pace and just kept going. I think the track worked against us—it favored speed all day. But I’m proud of my horse; he was courageous. Since the Derby, those two have had a beautiful rivalry, and today it was Forever Young’s turn. They deserved it.”

Jockey Flavien Prat added: “I thought I was going to get him, but the winner never stopped. My horse felt good and made a big move, but we couldn’t get by. I’m thankful to ride such a talented horse—he ran another fantastic race.”

The Classic offered many intertwined storylines, but one clear truth emerged: Japanese racing continues its global conquest through meticulous planning and unmatched professionalism. Yahagi—his trademark hats now symbols of a new era—once again lifted the Rising Sun to the summit of the racing world. And with Forever Young, the future seems limitless.