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| Staff Writer |
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When Yoshito Yahagi's Forever Young attempts to extend his unbeaten record to four in the Saudi Derby (G3) on February 24 in Riyadh, the 3YO should answer if he will be the next hit.
Yahagi purchased the colt for his customer, Susumu Fujita, at the 2022 JRHA Select Sale. Forever Darling is a grade 2 winner in the United States. With a purchase of ¥98,000,000 (US$725,926), Fujita was the highest spender at the JRHA Sale over the previous three years.
The Real Steel son broke his maiden at Kyoto in October last year by four lengths. In November, he scored a one-half-length victory in the JBC Nisai Yushun at Monbetsu Racecourse. He concluded his juvenile career on December 13 at Kawasaki Racecourse, winning by a commanding seven decisive lengths in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, the dirt 2-year-old division's championship event in Japan. Forever Young's performance brought her a Japanese race rating of 113, the highest rating ever for a 2YO on the dirt in the Japanese Thoroughbred Ranking System's existence.
Derma Sotogake, the victor of the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun last year, went on to win the UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai before placing sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). After the Saudi Derby on March 30, the Forever Young connections have indicated interest in entering their colt in the UAE Derby (G2) to earn enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby in 2024.