Forever Young easily passed his entrance exam for the Nov. 2 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic with a no-nonsense victory Oct. 2 in the Japan Dirt Classic at Oi Racecourse.

His connections said they were confident before the race, relieved afterward, and expect even more from Forever Young at Del Mar.

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The Real Steel colt, making his first start since settling for third in the dramatic, roughly contested finish of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, won by 1 1/4 lengths after waiting patiently just behind the early leader after stumbling slightly at the start. He needed only mild encouragement from jockey Ryusei Sakai and runner-up Mikki Flight was not a serious threat.

“I thought we couldn’t lose, so I’m relieved,” Sakai said. “I didn’t want to be inside, so I thought to go to the lead. But once he settled in second position, his rhythm was better. I thought this was good competition in the race, so I couldn’t let my guard down until the end.”

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi, known in international racing circles as “the man in the hat” for his colorful race-day headwear, concurred.

“At first, I felt relieved. To be honest, I was confident that we had experience on our side, but now we had a strong field against us today. So, I thought they did well to win.”

Forever Young heads to Del Mar as a winner of six of his seven starts. The other victories include the $1.5 million Saudi Derby in February and the $1 million United Arab Emirates Derby Sponsored by Atlantis The Royal in March. Yahagi said his progression through his three-Derby performance early in the year, followed by a good break, sets him up for the Breeders’ Cup.

“He was turned out at the Northern Farm in Hokkaido, and he was so tired after the Kentucky Derby that he has needed time to recover. To be honest, I was only able to finish him about 80%,” the trainer said.

He said Forever Young will enter quarantine Oct. 14 and fly to the United States Oct. 22.

Yahagi masterminded Japan’s breakthrough Breeders’ Cup effort in 2021 at Del Mar, saddling Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine to victory in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the Longines Breeder’s Cup Distaff, respectively.

Forever Young at Churchill Downs. (Eclipse Sportswire)

“He hasn’t lost in Japan yet,” Sakai noted of Forever Young. “But we had a frustrating experience in the spring, so I have a strong desire to get revenge. I hope to show off a strong Forever Young again. He will continue to do his best, and I want to win the next in the United States.”

Forever Young bumped repeatedly with runner-up Sierra Leone in the Kentucky Derby, but the stewards did not hang the inquiry sign, a decision that sparked criticism. He finished a nose behind a drifting-in Sierra Leone and two noses behind victorious Mystik Dan.

Sakai, Yahagi, and Forever Young’s owner, Susumu Fujita, turn their immediate focus to France, where they will try to end Japan’s decades-long frustration in the Oct. 6 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Shin Emperor.

Of the three Japanese-trained horses headed for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Forever Young is the only one exiting a prep-race victory. Derma Sotogake, who finished second in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, and Multiple Group 1 winner Ushba Tesoro, fifth in that race, finished fifth and second in the Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Racecourse Sept. 25.

Forever Young’s sire, Real Steel, is by Deep Impact, a son of Sunday Silence — sires who have shaped Japanese racing. His dam, Forever Darling, is by Congrats, a son of A.P. Indy.