Forever Young dominated the best of Japan’s dirt runners in the Tokyo Daishoten (JPN-1) in his 2024 finale Dec. 29, serving notice he’s ready to resume the international campaign that saw him finish an unlucky third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and third again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
The Real Steel colt toyed with nine rivals in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) Daishoten, run over the Oi Racecourse dirt. Jockey Ryusei Sakai, as instructed by trainer Yoshito Yahagi, kept him in second behind the breakaway longshot pacesetter through most of the running. He did require a bit of urging to get going when straightened out into the stretch but, once in stride, he quickly got clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Wilson Tesoro was second, followed by Ramjet . Bigger names Ushba Tesoro , Derma Sotogake and Crown Pride , finished fourth, sixth, and seventh, respectively.
The victory was all the more impressive as both…
Leave a reply