A fiercely determined Forever Young slipped through a narrow opening on the rail to take the lead heading into the stretch and shook off a bid from Bob Baffert-trained Nysos to win Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) for the second year in a row.
Already the world’s richest racehorse, Forever Young earned another $10 million for owner Susumu Fujita, and his bankroll now stands at an amazing $29,358,950. His record improved to 11 wins in 14 starts, with his only losses coming when third in three of the world’s most famous horse races: last year’s Dubai World Cup (G1), the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic, and that year’s Kentucky Derby (G1).
Confidently ridden by regular jockey Ryusei Sakal, the 5-year-old Japan-bred left the gate in good order and tucked in behind the leaders as they led the field of 13 through the early going. Forever Young held his position as two challengers ranged up alongside him, then powered through to take command in the lane with Nysos in hot pursuit. The American never seriously threatened and finished a length back as Forever Young hit the wire in 1:51.03 for 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles).
“He's still not 100 percent," said winning trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who now has won three of the seven runnings of the Cup, including with Panthalassa in 2023. “But when he approached the top of the stretch, I was confident.”
So was Sakai.
“He’s an amazing horse. Two times in the Saudi Cup, and I just trust him. I had no worries,’’ said Sakai. “There was no pressure. This is my job. The same every time.”
Baffert has now finished second four times in the Saudi Cup, but Nysos was rewarded with the runner-up's share of the purse: $2.5 million. Forever Young returned $2.70 to win in world pool wagering.
“This race is almost like the Kentucky Derby because unless you win, second isn’t that exciting,’’ said Baffert, a six-time Derby winner. “The good thing, though, is that Nysos showed up. Forever Young is just so good.”
Tumbarumba finished third, with Bishops Bay fourth, followed by Luxor Cafe, Sunrise Zipangu, Mhally, Banishing, Rattle N Roll, Ameerat Alzamaan, Thundersquall, Nevada Beach, and Haqeet. Star of Wonder was scratched.
Forever Young was a finalist for the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year, but was topped in the voting by Derby, Belmont Stakes (G1), and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty. However, Forever Young was voted the Eclipse Champion Older Male.
Forever Young was making the first start of 2026 in the Saudi Cup, having closed out his 4-year-old campaign with a half-length victory over Sierra Leone in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar. Along with the 2025 Saudi Cup, he also won the Nippon TV Hai in October and finished third in the Dubai World Cup, a race Yahagi said would be the next target for Forever Young in March.
And after that?
“I have no idea,” he said.
As for the upcoming Dubai World Cup. Yahagi said, “Last year it didn’t work out; he just wasn’t good enough. We’ll try our best to win it this year.”
The Saudi Cup is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win, and You're In" Series, granting Forever Young a paid, automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall at Keeneland Race Course.
Forever Young won the first three starts of his career in 2023, and after taking the Saudi Derby (G3) and the UAE Derby (G2) as a 3-year-old, finished third in a nail-biting three-way photo in the Kentucky Derby. He prepped for the Breeders’ Cup in the Japan Dirt Classic in October but drifted out in the stretch and was third behind Sierra Leone and Fierceness.
Baffert did win a race on the Saudi Cup undercard: Imagination ($3.60) and Flavien Prat passed nine horses in the stretch to win the $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint.
Al Haram came through with a winning stretch run to take the $1 million Saudi Derby (G3) on the Saudi Cup undercard, perhaps giving Saudi Arabia a 3-year-old worthy of competing in the Kentucky Derby.
Ridden by Ricardo Ferreira for trainer Abdullah Alsidrani, Al Haram improved to 4-0 and, more importantly, earned 30 Kentucky Derby qualifying points on the Euro/Asia road to the Derby series.
“He showed his class today, and hopefully the next stop is the UAE Derby. Hopefully, he is good enough to be in the Kentucky Derby; he’s a very good horse,” said Sheikh Faisal Al Sabah, son of owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah.
“He’s a champion, he’s an amazing horse. From the beginning here in Saudi Arabia, he’s been fascinating us.”
Al Haram took the lead inside 50 meters and beat Orientation, trained by Steve Asmussen, by 1 ¾ lengths. Inside the final 50 meters, Al Haram won by 1 ¾ lengths.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
