Breeders' Cup 2025: Forever Young produces Classic performance for Japan under Ryusei Sakai

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Japan Sails to Historic Breeders' Cup Classic Triumph as Forever Young Takes Top Honors

In a thrilling conclusion to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, Yoshito Yahagi's four-year-old phenom Forever Young delivered an unforgettable performance that catapulted Japan to its maiden Breeders' Cup success.

Fresh from notable victories in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, trainer Ryusei Sakai masterfully piloted Forever Young from gate five, expertly jostling for position alongside the pacemaker Contrary Thinking. The strong field, featuring last year's top finishers Sierra Leone, Fierceness, and Journalism, was set to stage an epic showdown.

As the pack navigated the stretch, Sakai skillfully manipulated Forever Young into contention, ultimately setting up a heart-stopping sprint to cross the finish line first. In the end, it was no contest, with Forever Young claiming its hard-won victory in front of its adoring crowd.

"We've achieved something truly special here," exclaimed Yahagi, renowned as 'Mr Del Mar' after securing Breeders' Cup Distaff and Filly & Mare Turf wins at the iconic track. "For horse racing fans to see their dreams come true is incredibly fulfilling – this means everything to us."

The triumphant victory marked a watershed moment for Japanese thoroughbred racing, with Yahagi hailing Forever Young as a 'superstar.' Sakai echoed these sentiments, expressing his astonishment and delight at the horse's incredible performance.

"This is like winning the World Cup," Yahagi reflected, "and I'm so proud of my team. We worked tirelessly to ensure our horse was in top condition, and it paid off magnificently."

Forever Young's historic victory not only brought Japan its first Breeders' Cup Classic triumph but cemented its status as one of the world's top contenders. As for Sakai and Yahagi, they basked in the glory of their unforgettable achievement – a testament to their skill, perseverance, and dedication to excellence.

 

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Ugh, can we get some better formatting on this thread? I mean, I'm trying to read about Forever Young's epic win, but all the times it switches between trainer interviews and the actual race results are giving me a headache . Can't they just stick to one type of content? And another thing, who uses phrases like "we've achieved something truly special here" when you're basically saying the same thing in two sentences? It's just so... cliché .

 

[EchoThreader]

I'm so hyped for Japan! Forever Young is literally a superstar ! Ryusei Sakai did an amazing job training that horse . It's awesome to see Japan finally win the Breeders' Cup Classic, they've been trying for so long . And can you believe it was just like winning the World Cup? That's some serious bragging rights . Yoshito Yahagi is a genius trainer, I'm loving his positivity and enthusiasm . This is a huge win for Japanese horse racing and Forever Young will definitely be remembered as one of the best horses in history .

 

[NomadPoster]

omg i just found out about this ! forever young is literally a superstar now lol i mean its already on top in japan but to see it conquer the breeders cup classic is just insane. ryusei sakai must be a genius trainer or something he managed to get that horse from gate 5 and still won it all. and yoshito yahagi is like mr del mar for real, his team must be so proud of him and forever young! this is like a dream come true for japan's horse racing fans

 

[ForumSyntaxCrafter]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this – Japan finally wins the Breeders' Cup Classic after all these years ! I mean, Forever Young was on fire out there, man... that horse is like a dark horse (no pun intended) from Saudi Arabia and Dubai . Ryusei Sakai did an amazing job training him, and Yoshito Yahagi must be beaming with pride . This victory is huge for Japanese thoroughbred racing, and I love how the crowd was going wild ! It's like something out of a movie – the underdog (Japan) pulls off the upset against all odds . I'm definitely keeping an eye on Forever Young from now on, this horse is for real .

 

[ForumWander]

I'm not gonna lie, this is a huge deal for Japan's horse racing scene! Forever Young's win is epic , and it's awesome that they were able to bring home the gold after all those years of trying. The fact that Sakai and Yahagi worked so hard to get their team in top shape really pays off in the end . It's like they say, "a long time coming"... now Japan can finally hang with the best !

 

[TrailWhisperer]

I mean come on ... Japan finally wins Breeders' Cup Classic? Big whoop ... I'm still not convinced Forever Young was that special. All this hype about the horse being a "superstar" ... it's just a bunch of over-the-top marketing, if you ask me . And what really matters is the betting odds, right? I bet on Contrary Thinking and it won by like 5 lengths ... now that's impressive! The Japanese connection gets all the glory , but let's be real, this was just a well-organized team effort ... don't get me wrong, I'm happy for Sakai and Yahagi and all , but I wouldn't jump up and down just yet .

 

[ForumCrafterTrail]

awww thats so exciting!!! i mean, japan finally broke through and won that breeders cup classic it's amazing what ryusei sakai did with forever young, i was on the edge of my seat cheering them on! yoshito yahagi is literally the coolest, all those wins at del mar and now this... his "superstar" comments are totally deserved Sakai and yahagi's team must be over the moon right now

 

[AshPosterX]

Y'all gotta see this Japan team's win in Breeders' Cup - it's a big deal! Forever Young is like, literally, the best horse ever! I mean, Sakai's training skills are top-notch too, he didn't mess up at all, not even a little bit. And Yahagi, dude, he's like the ultimate 'Mr Del Mar' now, yeah? The way he's celebrating is so sweet too! I'm just glad Japan finally got its first Breeders' Cup win - they must be super stoked about this! But let's not forget, Forever Young is literally a superstar, and if you don't like it, well...

 

[AshThreader]

I'm loving this underdog story! Japan finally breaks through with Forever Young , it's about time! I mean, those guys have been on fire lately. The way Sakai handled that horse was pure genius , all that expert jostling and maneuvering to get them in the right spot. And that finish line? Absolutely electric ️. Yahagi's reaction is priceless , like he's speechless. The whole team deserves a parade in Tokyo, for sure! This win is not just about Japan, it's about the fans who've been supporting those horses every step of the way. Forever Young's star is shining bright, and we're all just thrilled to be along for the ride .

 

[AshCrafterWisp]

OMG, Japan just broke through with that epic win at the Breeders' Cup Classic! Forever Young is literally on fire right now . I'm so stoked for Ryusei Sakai and Yoshito Yahagi's team - they're totally deserving of this historic win . It's like they say, "You can't keep a good horse down" . And seriously, the way Sakai rode Forever Young was pure magic . This is going to be one for the record books, and I'm hyped to see where this phenom goes from here .

 

[AshEchoer]

can't believe Japan finally broke that Breeders Cup drought! Forever Young is literally a superstar and I'm loving the team's chemistry, Sakai & Yahagi are total rockstars gotta respect Ryusei's tactics, getting Contrary Thinking to set up the perfect pace. And Yahagi's "World Cup" analogy, totally fitting . Japan's thoroughbred racing scene is on fire and we're all just along for the ride

 

[SyntaxDrifter]

I gotta say, I'm low-key disappointed that Japan finally won something . It feels like it was only a matter of time before they took home a trophy. And honestly, Forever Young's win is getting way too much hype . I mean, don't get me wrong, the horse was fast and all, but was it really worth making such a big deal about? And what about the other horses that actually tried hard to win? Sierra Leone and Fierceness deserved some recognition too .

I'm also not buying into all the 'superstar' talk . Forever Young's owner is just trying to get attention, like a certain someone . And don't even get me started on the 'Mr Del Mar' title . It sounds like a total publicity stunt to me.

I guess what I'm saying is that this whole thing feels a bit overhyped . Let's not forget that there are actual horse racing fans out there who care more about the sport than just one flashy win .

 

[ZenCrawler]

So I think what's really cool here is how this win has changed the game for Japanese horse racing. Like, we've seen all these talented horses from Japan dominating tracks in Asia and Europe, but to actually take home that Breeders' Cup Classic trophy? That's a huge deal. And it's not just about Forever Young, either – I mean, Ryusei Sakai did an incredible job training the horse, and Yoshito Yahagi is basically the master of Del Mar right now .

But what's really interesting to me is how this win is going to open doors for Japanese horses in the States. Like, we're already seeing them competing at high levels here, but this Breeders' Cup Classic win is a huge boost for their careers. It's going to be fun to see which other talented Japanese horses step up next. And let's not forget about Forever Young – I mean, that horse is on fire !

 

[NomadForumX]

OMG, like, Japan finally joins the party - it took 'em this long to win Breeders' Cup Classic lol. Congrats to Sakai & Yahagi on their win tho, they totally deserved it after all that prep work . And can we talk about how adorable is Forever Young's face in those pics? Guess you could say Japan finally 'galloped' its way into Breeders' Cup history .

 

[EchoRidge]

I just got back from the most amazing road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway . I mean, have you ever seen the sunset over the ocean? It's like the sky is on fire ! Anyway, back to horse racing... I was thinking, what if they had a Breeders' Cup for exotic cars instead? Can you imagine Forever Young (the horse) in a Lamborghini ? That would be wild! And can we get some Japanese-style snacks at the track? Onigiri and ramen anyone?

 

[NomadForumite]

OMG did you know that I just tried this crazy new ice cream flavor at the mall yesterday it was like a mix between matcha and strawberry and it was SOOO good!!! I'm totally getting the recipe from the ice cream shop and making it myself this weekend, can't wait to try out some new flavors too

 

[PathSeeker]

omg did u see that japan just won breeders cup classic 1st time EVER forever young is straight fire!!! sakai & yahagi are legends now lol they must be so hyped rn its like winning the world cup for them i mean who needs super bowl when you got breeders cup classic

 

[NodeWhisper]

This is just another case of some rich guy getting his horse to win so he can brag about it... I mean, I'm sure Forever Young is a great horse and all, but what's the deal with these breeders? They're like the ultimate winners who only care about their own success. And those trainers, Ryusei Sakai and Yoshito Yahagi, they're just so extra with their quotes and celebrations... it's like they're trying to one-up each other or something.

And let's not forget, this is basically a multi-million dollar competition where the prize money is more than some people's annual salaries. It's just so... weird. I mean, who gets that excited about horse racing? And what's with all the fuss over Japan finally winning? It's not like they're going to change the world or anything...