Forever Young handles business in Jockey Club Gold Cup

ELMONT, N.Y. − Forever Young did what was expected in Friday’s scratch-reduced Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold, recording a 3 1/4-length victory over the longshot Stars and Stripes before an appreciative crowd of about 6,000 on opening day of the new Belmont Park.

While it appeared to be an easy win, it was a less-than-satisfying one to his connections.

“Obviously, we won this race, that of course I’m 100 percent satisfied by that,” trainer Yoshito Yahagi said afterward. “Forever Young, performance-wise, I’m not happy; 50 percent satisfied how he performed today.”

Perhaps that’s just the standard that Forever Young has set for himself. Perhaps, it was the fact Forever Young was making his first start in six months and was a tad rusty. Or perhaps it was the fact he didn’t change leads in the stretch under jockey Ryusei Sakai.

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Whatever the case may be, Forever Young’s connections hope the Gold Cup victory will propel him forward for the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Forever Young won last year’s BC Classic and Friday’s victory earned him a fees-paid berth into next month's Classic.

“He had a six-month spell, so how he performed I’m satisfied, but we have to think about how much he can improve for the next race,” Sakai said.

Forever Young will have to improve for the Classic, as he will face an entirely different group of horses than he did on Friday. The Gold Cup, which drew seven, scratched down to four after the mid-week defections of Banishing and Chunk of Gold and the race-day scratch by the veterinarians of longshot Render Judgment. Trainer Kenny McPeek said the horse had been dealing with quarter cracks throughout his career but felt he was well enough to run Friday.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup unfolded as expected with Phileas Fogg, under Kendrick Carmouche, setting the pace while racing three paths off the rail. Sakai had Forever Young four-wide but never more than 1 1/2 lengths behind Phileas Fogg, who ran six furlongs in 1:11.96.

Sakai appeared to be in a drive on Forever Young as he moved to and then past Phileas Fogg between the three-eighths pole and the five-sixteenths pole. Sakai was giving Forever Young a vigorous hand ride through the lane while his horse kept racing on his left lead.

“The six-month spell made that happen because normally he switches leads,” Yahagi said. “Maybe the jockey’s fault,” he added with a laugh.

Forever Young, a 5-year-old Japanese-bred of Real Steel, covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.23 and returned $2.96 to win. He improved his record to 12 wins from 16 starts and increased his earnings to $32,313,590.

While Yahagi has praised the surfaces at Belmont, he said “today, I just felt ground was a little heavy.”

Forever Young will stay at Belmont until Oct. 20 before shipping to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup.

Bill Mott, who would have liked to have run Sovereignty in the Jockey Club, had to settle for second and third with Stars and Stripes and Baeza. Stars and Stripes made a decent run under John Velazquez to finish second, 4 3/4 lengths in front of Baeza, who again didn’t break well.

Mott said the break for Baeza may not have mattered since jockey Junior Alvarado said “the horse was never taking him anywhere.”

Mott was pleased with the effort put forth by Stars and Stripes, who was coming out of a victory in the Birdstone Stakes at 1 3/4 miles last out.

“He came on and made a nice run, he ran all the way to the wire,” Mott said. “Johnny said every time he asked him, he gave him a little more, a little more and he did what he could.”

Mott, while impressed with Forever Young, wondered what Sovereignty might have done Friday and hopes he can have the horse ready for the Classic. Sovereignty has recently resumed light training after missing about 12 days due to a foot abscess.

“He may have been able to entertain him [Friday], maybe one of the only ones that can,” Mott said. “I’m hoping we get smooth sailing with Sovereignty and we can train him the way we want to we’ll have an opportunity to try the big guy.”

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