Japan: Forever Young meets tough foes for comeback in Japan Dirt Classic

The last time the Japanese colt Forever Young raced, he finished third by a head in a thrilling running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Forever Young’s next appearance in the United States may occur in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 2, pending the outcome of Wednesday’s $830,900 Japan Dirt Classic at Oi Racecourse in Tokyo, Japan.

Forever Young, a winner of 5 of 6 starts in three countries, is part of a field of 15 in the Japan Dirt Classic, run for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on dirt. The BC Classic is also run at 1 ¼ miles on dirt.

Forever Young starts from the inside post in the Japan Dirt Classic and will be ridden by Ryusei Sakai, who has been aboard the colt for all of his races.

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Earlier this year, Forever Young won the Group 3 Saudi Derby, a $1.5 million race at a mile, in Saudi Arabia in February; and the Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby, a $1 million race at 1 3/16 miles in Dubai on March 30. He won three races on dirt in Japan last year at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles.

Forever Young will be favored in the Japan Dirt Classic, but will meet a few rivals with excellent records on Japan’s dirt tracks.

Ramjet, a winner of 5 of 7 starts, will start for the first time since a win in the Tokyo Derby at 1 1/4 miles at Oi on June 5. Satono Epic and Shimme Daisy, a winner of 7 of 8 starts, were second and fourth in the Tokyo Derby and start in the Japan Dirt Classic.

The distance will work for Sunrise Zipangu, who has won twice at 1 1/4 miles on turf and dirt. He does face a class test, having finished 12th in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles on turf on May 26.

Sunrise Zipangu rebounded to win the Kazukata Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Morioka Racecourse on Sept. 3.

Last November, Forever Young and Sunrise Zipangu were first and second, separated by 1 1/2 lengths, in the Nisai Yushun Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Mombetsu Racecourse in Japan.

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