Forever Young, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1, has been named Japan’s 2025 Horse of the Year despite making only one start in the country through the year. Champions were announced by the Japan Racing Association earlier this week. Journalists select the champions. Forever Young was brilliant outside of Japan in 2025. Aside from the win in the BC Classic, Forever Young won the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia last February, and was third in the $12 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in April. In his only other start in 2025, Forever Young won the $457,700 Nippon TV Hai Stakes at Funabashi Racecourse in Tokyo, on Oct. 1, a prep race for the BC Classic. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Forever Young, who races for Susumu Fujita and trainer Yoshita Yahagi, is a finalist for the 2025 Eclipse Award as the outstanding older male in the United States. In addition to his Horse of the Year title in Japan, Forever Young was honored as the best dirt horse and best older horse or colt. A 5-year-old in 2026, Forever Young has won 10 of 13 starts and more than $19.3 million. In 2024, Forever Young was third by a head in the Kentucky Derby and third in the BC Classic at Del Mar. Of the 248 ballots cast for Japan’s Horse of the Year, Forever Young received 226. Museum Mile, the 2025 champion 3-year-old colt, received 18 votes, while Jantar Mantar, the 2025 champion miler, was third with two votes. Croix du Nord and Masquerade Ball received one vote, but were not honored in other categories. Japan had nine equine champions in 2025. Other honors went to Cavallerizzo, 2-year-old colt; Star Anise, 2-year-old filly; Embroidery, 3-year-old filly; Regaleira, older filly or mare; Satono Reve, sprinter, and Ecoro Duel, steeplechaser. Star Anise, Jantar Mantar, and Ecoro Duel were unanimous champions. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.