Forever Young spotless in his final breeze: Japan aims for a double in the Classic

Defending champion covers 800 meters in :50.20 this Wednesday at Keeneland, pleasing Yoshito Yahagi. Japan also sets its sights on prominent roles across other championship events

DIEGO H. MITAGSTEIN (Special envoy for Turf Diario to Lexington, Kentucky)

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (From a special envoy).— Serenity is also a virtue of champions. Forever Young (Real Steel) proved it once again on Wednesday morning, when he completed his final breeze for Saturday's Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Without being asked for maximum effort or making flashy moves, the Japanese star covered 800 meters in :50.20 and left an unbeatable impression.

The goal is as simple to state as it is difficult to achieve: defend the title he captured twelve months ago and win once again in the $7,000,000 event, the richest race of the region and of the series. Installed as the 2-1 favorite on the morning line, Forever Young will have to confirm that he belongs to the world elite against top-tier opposition.

His final exercise was conducted in company with stablemate American Stage (Into Mischief), who will contest the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). Yoshito Yahagi watched every stride and did not hide his satisfaction: “It was a perfect gallop. The jockey did a perfect job. The horse is moving wonderfully. I am very satisfied,” summarized the trainer.

Yahagi was even more emphatic when asked about the candidate's physical condition: “There is no concern about his condition. He is very fresh.” At this point in the week, there was not much more to ask of Forever Young. The preparation is complete; now only the moment of truth remains.

A Large Delegation

Japan's presence in this Breeders’ Cup, however, goes far beyond its main figure. The delegation arrived in Kentucky with representatives for various distances and surfaces, and on Tuesday had a busy morning of track work: all of them,except Deep Monster (Deep Impact), went out to the track. Japan does not intend to merely play a leading role in the Classic, but to sustain its weight on the international stage.

In the Dirt Mile (G1), facing Argentina's Full Serrano (Full Mast), Lord Fons (Lord Kanaloa) completed his final drill with Kazuo Yokoyama, his jockey for the race, while Lugal (Duramente) readies for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) on turf. Fuma Izumiya, who accompanied him during training, explained that the horse arrived serene and quickly adapted to Keeneland after competing in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Great Britain. “He has been calm, and I think he adapted very quickly to the environment,” he noted.

The main issue for Lugal involves turning left, a detail his team worked on specifically, as well as proving his ability over 1600 meters. “His condition improved since the Sprinters Stakes (G1) and I have no concerns in that aspect,” added Izumiya. He also shared that Oisin Murphy, the chosen jockey, expressed confidence regarding the distance and the assigned post position.

Another trainer with reasons to experience a special day is Daisuke Takayanagi, responsible for T O Password(Copano Rickey) and T O Elvis (Volatile). The former will seek to pull off a shock in the Classic, while the latter will participate in the Sprint. Both worked together in their final drill, guided by Kazushi Kimura and Ryusei Sakai,respectively.

T O Elvis knows American tracks: in April he won at Churchill Downs, a performance that convinced his connections to orient his campaign toward dirt and target this Breeders’ Cup directly. “He moved exactly as we wanted and I thought he looked very good,” commented Takayanagi, who trusts his ability to perform without a recent prep race.

The story of T O Password is different. After his participation in the Kentucky Derby (G1), he suffered a fracture and underwent a prolonged recovery. His trainer admitted that the Dirt Mile might suit his abilities better, but preferred the Classic to avoid a overly congested field flow. In Tuesday's work, he caught up with T O Elvis, who had broken off ahead of him, and left a favorable impression. “We always knew he is a horse with genuine ability,” he stated.

Ask Ikigomi (Lord Kanaloa) also completed his final exercise with assistant Kazuo Fujiwara, rounding out another piece of a group with tremendous ambition.

Either way, all eyes will be on Forever Young. Japan no longer travels to the Breeders’ Cup to discover if it can compete against the best: it arrives with a champion seeking to repeat, a team that exudes confidence, and the opportunity to write another extraordinary page at Keeneland.