RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Forever Young has cemented his status as a dominant force in international racing, securing a repeat victory in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) on February 14 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The five-year-old Japanese champion held off a strong challenge from American contender Nysos, adding another prestigious win to his growing resume.
This marks the third consecutive year a Japanese horse has triumphed in the Saudi Cup, and the win is particularly significant for trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who now has three victories in the seven runnings of the race, including a win with Panthalassa in 2023. The victory is worth $10 million to Forever Young’s connections, while Nysos’s team received $3.5 million for finishing second.
The race unfolded as a strategic battle, with both Forever Young and Nysos settling comfortably off the pace early on. As the field turned for home, jockey Ryusei Sakai skillfully guided Forever Young through along the rail, while Flavien Prat urged Nysos to the outside. The two horses engaged in a thrilling stretch duel, but Forever Young proved too strong, crossing the finish line one length ahead of Nysos. The winning time was 1:51.03 for the 1,800-meter (approximately 1 1/8 mile) distance, with Forever Young paying $2.70 for a $2 win wager in international pari-mutuel wagering.
Baffert Remains Unsuccessful in Saudi Cup
For trainer Bob Baffert, the Saudi Cup continues to be a frustrating race. This year marked his fourth second-place finish in the event, with Nysos’s narrow defeat adding to the string of near misses. “I prefer shorter stretches,” Baffert commented before the race, but acknowledged it ultimately wouldn’t have changed the outcome. Baffert’s second runner, Nevada Beach, finished 12th of 13 starters.
Tumbarumba finished third, 3 ¾ lengths behind the winner, and Bishops Bay was fourth, one length further back. Rattle N Roll, trained by Kenny McPeek, finished ninth, a year after placing fifth in the 2025 Saudi Cup.
A Rising Star on the Global Stage
Forever Young’s journey to the top has been remarkable. He burst onto the Japanese racing scene in October 2023, winning his first three starts, culminating in a victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse in December. While considered for the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, his connections opted to send him to Riyadh for the 2024 Saudi Derby, a race he won by a head over Book’em Danno. He followed that with a win in the UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai, earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
At Churchill Downs, Forever Young finished third in a tightly contested race, just two noses behind Mystik Dan and Sierra Leone. After a period of rest, he returned to form, winning the Japan Dirt Classic in October and placing third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), again behind Sierra Leone. He concluded the season with a victory in the Tokyo Daishoten (G1) at Oi Racecourse.
His 2025 Saudi Cup victory came after a thrilling battle with Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior, where he rallied to win by a neck. Trainer Yahagi attributed a subsequent third-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1) to prerace issues. A return to Del Mar saw him secure another Grade 1 victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, once again holding off Sierra Leone by a half-length.
With the Saudi Cup being part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, Forever Young has earned a paid, automatic berth into this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
Nysos Shows Promise in Defeat
Despite the loss, Nysos’s performance was a noteworthy achievement. The Bob Baffert trainee entered the race with a record of seven wins from eight starts, though his career has been marked by interruptions. He arrived in Saudi Arabia after winning both the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (G2).
Baffert remains determined to win the Saudi Cup, stating, “It’s a hole in my résumé. It’s one race I haven’t won and I want to win it.” He indicated his intention to return to Saudi Arabia in future years, potentially facing Forever Young again.
Owner Susumu Fujita expressed delight with Forever Young’s win, stating, “The plan was to retire at the end of the year. But I could extend that by two more months for another Saudi Cup.”
The continued success of Forever Young raises the question of whether he will continue racing beyond his initially planned retirement. His performance in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Classic will be closely watched as his connections weigh their options. The international racing community will undoubtedly be eager to see if this exceptional horse can add further chapters to his already impressive story.
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