It was the first UAE Derby win for both Fujita and Yahagi, as well as for rider Ryusei Sakai. The win was particularly poignant for Yahagi, whose father had passed away in Japan just hours earlier.

“My teacher, mentor, and father passed away this morning and I want to dedicate this win to him,” an emotional Yahagi said following the race.

Forever Young overcame a wide break from Meydan's stall 11 Saturday and sat outside but prominently in the early first flight before settling into a wide fifth, feeling the breeze while in the clear. Little changed up front as Southern Hemisphere stablemates Oasis Boy (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg} and Auto Bahn (Arg) showed the way until heading into the homestretch, when Auto Bahn put away his fellow Julio Olascoaga trainee as Forever Young loomed menacingly to his outside. Sakai gave the bay winner a few right-handed taps of the whip as Auto Bahn yielded. Forever Young drew clear by two lengths under a late hand ride with his ears pricked as conditioner Christophe Clement's last-out Gander S. winner Pandagate closed from his penultimate running spot with long, easy strides to wind up several lengths back in third.

Yahagi reiterated several times the Kentucky Derby will be the next target for the winner.

“Of course it will be very difficult to manage the horse's condition from Dubai to Kentucky, but I really believe my team will be able to get him in good order,” said Yahagi.

Kentucky is not an option for Auto Bahn, as he is a 4-year-old on Southern Hemisphere time.

Jockey Dylan Davis, Pandagate's rider, indicated he felt his colt may benefit from a longer distance than the 1900 meters of the Saudi Derby. “We found some good rhythm. When they punched, they just had a better kick than me and my horse just kept fighting for third and he managed to prevail for third. Shipping all the way and performing on this stage–he showed that he improved again. He got there well, he is kind of a stayer. He hasn't got a big turn of foot but getting further should be no problem.”

Forever Young, who made his first two career starts at nine furlongs, has never been beaten. He made three trips to the starting gate as a 2-year-old in Japan, getting started last October at Kyoto and reeling off three consecutive victories at three different tracks, culminating with listed wins in the JBC Nisai Yushun and the Zennippon Nisai Yushun. With performances of a caliber that made him the highest-rated dirt juvenile in Japanese history, Forever Young tackled the world stage next, where word was already out that this colt might be something special. He didn't disappoint despite a less-than-ideal trip in the $1.5-million G3 Boutique Group Saudi Derby at Riyadh's King Abdulaziz Racecourse Feb. 24. The head victory may have been his only winning margin shy of daylight, but it was in such a manner–where he ran down what looked to be a clear winner–that he was clearly the horse to beat in the UAE Derby.

“He did not travel well from Japan to Saudi Arabia so he was not in great condition but he still performed very well,” said Yahagi. “After traveling from Riyadh to Dubai he improved and he has so much potential, I always have a lot of confidence in him.”

Winning owner Fujita concurred that Forever Young will travel next to Kentucky. “This is only my third season as an owner with the Japan Racing Association and I have already found a champion racehorse. He continues to attract international attention for the Kentucky Derby, which tells me that he should have a good chance. Looking forward I would like to underline that I would like to win the Dubai World Cup.”

Pedigree Notes:

Shadai Stallion Station's Real Steel, himself a big winner in Dubai when he took the G1 Dubai Turf in 2016, is also a full-brother to U.S. and Japanese champion Loves Only You (Jpn), winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in 2021. With just two crops to the races thus far, Real Steel has three black-type winners, all in group company. Forever Young is his first stakes winner outside of Japan. Forever Young is also one of 26 black-type winners worldwide out of a daughter of Congrats, a son of A.P. Indy who was pensioned from stud duty at WinStar Farm after the 2021 season.

Forever Darling, winner of the 2016 GII Santa Ynez S., was exported to the UK in 2017, bred to Frankel (GB), and shipped to Japan, where she has remained. She has a 2-year-old filly by Kizuna (Jpn) and a yearling filly by Epiphaneia (Jpn). Bred for 2024 to Rey de Oro (Jpn), Forever Darling is a half-sister to 2017 GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon), dam of $2.3-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga topper and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). The latter most recently won the Feb. 17 GII Risen Star S. and is pointing to Keeneland's GI Toyota Blue Grass next week. Other members of the family include 2004 Japanese Horse of the Year Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), a half-brother to Forever Young's granddam, MSW & MGISP Darling My Darling.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
UAE DERBY-G2, AED1,000,000, Meydan, 3-30, 3yo, 9 1/2f, 1:57.89, fs.
1–FOREVER YOUNG (JPN), 121, c, 3, by Real Steel (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Forever Darling (SP-US, $113,733),
                                by Congrats
                2nd Dam: Darling My Darling, by Deputy Minister
                3rd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
(¥98,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern
Racing; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai. $580,000. Lifetime
Record: MSW-Jpn, GSW-Sau, 5-5-0-0, $2,630,648. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Auto Bahn (Arg), 131, c, 3, Asiatic Boy (Arg)–Autografiada
(Arg), by Giant's Causeway. 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. O-Sheikh
Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum; B-Al Adiyaat Argentina
S.A (ARG); T-Julio Olascoaga. $200,000.
3–Pandagate, 121, c, 3, Arrogate–Kitty Panda, by Sky Mesa.
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. ($130,000 Ylg '22 SARAUG).
O-Adelphi Racing Club, Madaket Stables LLC, Corms Racing
Stable and On The Rise Again Stable; B-Fred W. Hertrich III
(NY); T-Christophe Clement. $100,000.
Margins: 2, 4 3/4, 1.
Also Ran: Mendelssohn Bay, Navy Seal (Ire), Ballon D'Or (Jpn), Rock Walk (Uru), Guns And Glory, Oasis Boy (Arg), George Tesoro (Jpn), Henry Adams (Ire). Scratched: Killer Collect, Satono Phoenix (Jpn). Click for the ERA chart & video.

FOREVER YOUNG フォーエバーヤング!!

The Japanese raider books his ticket for the @KentuckyDerby with a win in the the UAE equivalent. #DWC24

pic.twitter.com/7aVESHaoHr

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) March 30, 2024

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Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) had been the recipient of as much lip service as any horse on the grounds in Riyadh over the past several days, his latest seven-length romp in the Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun stamping him not only as the highest-rated dirt juvenile in Japanese history, but also as a top contender for a race like the GI Kentucky Derby.

A hot favorite on the international markets at 3-4, the Yoshito Yahagi-trainee had very little go his way in the first of Saturday's group races, but he called upon his considerable talent in the final 150 meters and dropped his nose down on the wire just ahead of a very gallant Book'em Danno (Bucchero).

Making his first start going one turn, Forever Young perhaps brushed the gate or was otherwise awkwardly away from stall nine, as US invader Bentornato (Valiant Minister) showed the way up front after the opening couple of furlongs, with company to his inside in the form of dirt debutant Set Up (Jpn) (Declaration of War).

Meanwhile, Forever Young was immediately under the pump from Ryusei Sakai as he slipstreamed a four-wide Book'em Danno approaching the turn, and it was the last-out romping Pasco S. winner who looked to be going best of the bunch when he easily claimed Bentornato leaving the 400-meter pole. Book'em Danno looked every ounce a winner with a sixteenth of a mile to travel, but he began looking for the line over a strip that can place a premium on stamina, and Forever Young–racing on his incorrect lead, but pinching ground off the leader with every stride–took a successful dive at him at the line. The final time was easily the quickest in the five-year history of the race.

“He didn't have a good start,” said Yahagi, winning his fourth race at the Saudi Cup meeting. “He was wide out and it was a tough race, but he ended up winning, so we are very satisfied. He didn't like the kickback, so the jockey kept him wide out. Still, he had a very good performance, so I'm very happy about that. We will first head to the [1900-meter Mar. 30 G2] UAE Derby before hopefully the Kentucky Derby.”

“My heart is very, very tired. Stretching out to distance is very welcome for him. I love Saudi Arabia, I love this country.”

Of the beaten second favorite, Irad Ortiz, Jr. said: “He just got caught on the wire but he ran really good.”

Derek Ryan indicated that Book'em Danno would target the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4.

Japanese horses won the first two Saudi Derbys with Full Flat (Speightstown) in 2020 and the late Pink Kamehameha (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) in 2021. Both were trained by the trend-setting Hideyuki Mori.

Pedigree Notes

Real Steel, a full-brother to the Yoshito Yahagi-trained, multi-jurisdictional Grade I/Group 1 winner Loves Only You (Jpn), was being represented by his third group winner and first on the dirt.

Forever Steel's third dam won the 1994 GI Ballerina H. for Tri-Honors Stable and Shug McGaughey and was purchased by Nobuo Tsunoda for $750,000 in foal to Storm Cat at the 1998 Keeneland November Sale. Darling My Darling was the second of three foals Roamin Rachel produced prior to her export and she cost John Oxley $300,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September Sale, finishing runner-up in the GI Matron S. and GI Frizette S. at two before adding Keeneland's Raven Run S. at three and the Doubledogdare S. the following year.

Roamin Rachel's first Japanese-bred foal, Stray Cat (Jpn), made just one start and died at 16 in 2015, but bred nine winners from 10 to race, including four full black-type winners. Roamin Rachel's second produce, Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) put the pedigree on the map as Japan's Horse of the Year of 2004 after taking out the G1 Japan Cup.

In addition to Forever Young's GII Santa Ynez S.-winning dam, Darling My Darling was also responsible for GI Darley Alcibiades S. heroine Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon), the dam of 'TDN Rising Star' and recent GII Risen Star S. hero Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). Following Forever Young is a 2-year-old filly by Kizuna (Jpn), a yearling filly by Epiphaneia (Jpn) and Forever Darling was most recently bred to Rey de Oro (Jpn).

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
BOUTIQUE GROUP SAUDI DERBY-G3, $1,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-24, NH/SH3yo, 1600m, 1:36.17 (NSR), ft.
1–FOREVER YOUNG (JPN), 121, c, 3, by Real Steel (Jpn)
1st Dam: Forever Darling (GSW, $217,545), by Congrats
2nd Dam: Darling My Darling, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
(¥98,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern Racing; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; $900,000. Lifetime Record: MSW-Jpn, 4-4-0-0, $1,469,451. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Book'em Danno, 121, g, 3, Bucchero–Adorabella, by Ghostzapper. O-Atlantic Six Racing LLC; B-Gregory Kilka & Bright View Farm (NJ); T-Derek Ryan; J-Irad Ortiz Jr; $300,000.
3–Bentornato, 121, c, 3, Valiant Minister–Her Special Way, by Put It Back. ($45,000 Ylg '22 OBSOCT; $170,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Leon King Stable Corp; B-Tanma Corp (FL); T-Jose F D'Angelo; J-Luis Saez; $150,000.
Margins: HD, 6, 5.
Also Ran: Ajwadi (GB), Mashhur, Salam Alkhair, Saudi Neom, Oasis Boy (Arg), Almotahed (GB), Satono Phoenix (Jpn), Set Up (Jpn), Haayeet. Click for the JCSA chart (R4).

FOREVER YOUNG #フォーエバーヤング!!

Never in doubt, was it @_RYUSEI_0531 ?#TheSaudiCup | サウジカップ pic.twitter.com/OXtwK0BMJ6

— The Saudi Cup (@thesaudicup) February 24, 2024

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Drawn widest in a field of 12, the firming 11-10 favorite on the back of his victory in the Listed JBC Nisai Yushun at northern Mombetsu Nov. 3 broke a bit to his right, but was done no damage, as he quickly zoomed up to press the pace of longshot Oscar Brain (Jpn) (Danon Legend {Jpn}. Second choice Aigle Noir (Jpn) (Bricks and Mortar) chased the pair from out wide in third. The two market leaders made moves in unison entering the second turn, and Aigle Noir appeared to stick his nose in front nearing the straight, but Forever Young counterpunched inside and careered away in the final furlong to score convincingly. The win was worth 20 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The Yahagi-trained Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) was an intended runner in last year's Run for the Roses, having competed in the G3 Saudi Derby the G2 UAE Derby, where he was behind last year's Zen-Nippon winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits). A physically below-par Continuar was withdrawn from the Derby in the days leading up to the race. Forever Young could chart a similar course, but Yahagi said that the owner is also keen on the new NAR Dirt Triple Crown, consisting of the Haneda Hai (1800m) in April, the Toyko Derby (2000m) in June and the Japan Dirt Derby (2000m), which moves from July to October.

Fujita has made a big splash at home and abroad, paying sometimes-lofty sums for yearlings and 2-year-olds at public auction. Fujita, the founder of Japanese digital advertising company CyberAgent Inc, splashed out ¥517.1 million ($4.7 million) for a then-juvenile colt by Deep Impact (Jpn)–Premier Steps (Ire) (Foostepsinthesand {GB}) at the Chiba 2YO Sale in 2021. Dobune is a two-time listed winner and Group 2-placed in Japan this season with earnings north of ¥156 million.

More recently, Fujita and Yahagi have been represented by Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Troimphe winner Sottsass (Fr) who topped the 2022 Arqana August Sale on a bid of €2.1 million. The chestnut colt is two-from-two in his young career, including a last-out victory in Group 3 company, and heads to the G1 Hopeful S. (2000mT) in two weeks' time.

Forever Young connections | Horsephotos

In 2021, Fujita paid a sales-topping $750,000 for the Practical Joke filly Clos de Mesnil at OBS March and from the same sale, he acquired Jasper Krone (Frosted), a $90,000 purchase who won twice at group level this term before traveling to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and last weekend's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Jean Gros (More Than Ready), bought out of the 2021 OBS March Sale for $265,000, gave Fujita his first winner at group level in 2022.

Forever Young is one of three winners from four to race out of Forever Darling, whose marquee success came in the GII Santa Ynez S. in 2016. Second dam Darling My Darling was twice Grade I-placed at two in the colors of Debby Oxley and later won the Raven Run S. and Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland before producing 2017 GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon), whose 'TDN Rising Star' son Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) was part of a thrilling finish in the GII Remsen S. Dec. 2. Shug McGaughey trained third dam Roamin Rachel to a victory in the GI Ballerina H. in 1994, and she was sold to Japanese interests for $750,000 in foal to Storm Cat at the 1998 Keeneland November Sale before producing Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), Japan's Horse of the Year and winner of the G1 Japan Cup in 2004.

Forever Darling is also the dam of a yearling filly by Kizuna–like Real Steel a son of Deep Impact–and her foal of 2023 is a filly by Epiphaneia (Jpn).

やりました！！嬉し〜！
【全日本2歳優駿】フォーエバーヤングが無傷3連勝で2歳ダート王　藤田晋オーナーはG1初制覇 | 競馬ニュース – https://t.co/9KspeMenvw https://t.co/IIeLC9Omo0

— 藤田晋 (@susumu_fujita) December 13, 2023

Wednesday, Kawasaki, Japan
ZEN-NIPPON NISAI YUSHUN (Jpn-G1)-Listed, ¥71,400,000, Kawasaki, 12-13, 2yo, 1600m, 1:43.50, yl.
1–FOREVER YOUNG (JPN), 123, c, 2, by Real Steel (Jpn)
1st Dam: Forever Darling, by Congrats
2nd Dam: Darling My Darling, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
(¥98,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern Farm; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥42,000,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥82,200,000.
2–Aigle Noir (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Bricks and Mortar–Ultima Blood (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm; ¥14,700,000.
3–Saint Honore (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Epicharis (Jpn)–Lingus Uno (Jpn), by South Vigorous. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O-La Mere Inc; B-Matsuura Bokujo; ¥8,400,000.
Margins: 7, 2HF, 1. Odds: 1.10, 1.60, 104.30. Click for the goracing.jp chart.

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Sunday, July 30, 2023
11th-NII, ¥78.2m ($555k), Ibis Summer Dash-G3, 3/up, 1000mT
JEAN GROS (c, 4, More Than Ready–Goodbye Stranger, by Broad Brush), a brother to MGSW & GISP Tom's Ready, has won four of his nine starts to date, including a stunning, front-running success in last year's G2 New Zealand Trophy over the metric mile (see below, SC 6). Also a listed winner going six furlongs last term, the $130,000 Keeneland September buyback turned $265,000 OBS March breezer makes his first start since the G1 NHK Mile Cup last May in which he bombed the start, but courageously ran on from the tail to finish seventh, beaten under four lengths (video, SC 13). A winner of over $855,000 to date, Jean Gros has the services of top jockey Keita Tosaki. B-Nursery Place & Partners (KY)

Jean Gros (the one on the rail)
final fast work ahead Ibis Summer Dash G3 https://t.co/1SNA7eK5gu

— Nakayama Festa (@NakayamaFesuta1) July 26, 2023

12th-NII, ¥21,740,000 ($154k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m
META MAX (c, 3, Into Mischief–Zapara, by Not For Love) was unplaced in a pair of starts on the turf to begin his career, but has shown marked improvement with a switch to the dirt, having amassed a record of 2-1-0 from four tries on the surface. Well beaten behind the classy Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in the Listed Hyacinth S. this past February, the $180,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling and $1.1-million OBSMAR pinhook exits a victory in a six-furlong Chukyo allowance July 15 (video, SC 16). Both Jean Gros and Meta Max are raced by owner Susumu Fujita and trained by Hideyuki Mori. B-Brookstone Farm & Lee Mauberret (KY)

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Saturday, December 10, 2022
6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($98k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
LAP STAR (c, 2, Justify–Guest Suite, by Ghostapper) looks to give his first-crop sire (by Scat Daddy) a winner on the competitive JRA circuit for the third week running. A $400,000 Keeneland September acquisition by trainer Hideyuki Mori on behalf of owner Susumu Fujita, the Feb. 5 foal is a half-brother to GIII Lecomte S. winner Guest House (Quality Road). The dark bay colt is out of a winning daughter of Grade III winner Welcome Surprise (Seeking the Gold), who sadly passed away this year, and the third dam includes the likes of A.P. Indy, Summer Squall and Court Vision. This is also the family of this year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies third Raging Sea (Curlin). B-Hartmut H Malluche & Silesia Farm (KY)

Sunday, December 11, 2022
4th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($98k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
DONA SWEAT (f, 2, Justify–No Sweat, by Blame) is the first foal out of her twice stakes-placed dam, who was purchased by Ashview Farm for $300,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale before visiting this stallion for her first covering. A $425,000 graduate of last year's KEESEP sale, Dona Sweat is a granddaughter of MSW & MGSP Coolwind (Forest Wildcat), herself the dam of GIII Iowa Derby winner Looking Cool (Candy Ride {Arg}). The filly's third dam is Grade III heroine Scoop (Gone West). B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY)

11th-HSN, HSN Juvenile Fillies-G1, ¥123m ($903k), 2yo, f, 1600mT
AIM IN LIFE (f, 2, Kitten's Joy–Elisheva, by Smart Strike) debuted victoriously over course and distance Oct. 15 (video, SC 2) and gave a solid account of herself when sixth facing winners for the first time Nov. 27. The North Hills homebred is the first produce from her dam, a daughter of champion Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), whose G1 Sprinters' S.-winning son Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) breaks from the eight hole in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Believe is also responsible for MSW & G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo) and SW/GSP Fiducia (Medaglia d'Oro). B-North Hills Co Limited (KY)

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