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SARGA.CO – The phenomenal racehorse Forever Young has made history in the world of horse racing after being named Japanese Horse of the Year by the Japan Racing Association (JRA) for the 2025 season. This marks the first time a horse that competed primarily on dirt tracks has won the sport’s highest honor in Japan—an achievement that has stunned the global racing community.
Born on February 24, 2021, Forever Young is a son of Real Steel out of Forever Darling. He delivered a remarkable 2025 campaign, capturing numerous prestigious victories at the international level before etching his name into Japanese racing history.
That season, Forever Young triumphed in an epic showdown against Romantic Warrior, Hong Kong’s top racehorse, when he claimed victory in the G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh in February. He then finished third in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in April, before returning to Japanese tracks with a win in the Listed Nippon TV Hai in October.
The pinnacle came in the fall, when he captured the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar in the United States—an unprecedented achievement for a Japanese-bred racehorse.
Thanks to these accomplishments, Forever Young not only secured the 2025 Horse of the Year title but also earned Best Older Male and Best Dirt Horse honors at the JRA Awards, receiving overwhelming support from Japanese racing journalists.
Susumu Fujita, the horse’s owner and chairman of CyberAgent, Inc., expressed deep joy over the recognition.
“As an owner, I never imagined the day I would win Horse of the Year,” he said, while extending his gratitude to the entire team, including the trainers at Yahagi Stable, jockey Ryusei Sakai, and the staff at Northern Farm.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi also shared his pride that Forever Young received the award despite spending much of his career racing outside the JRA system—highlighting the horse’s immense impact and achievements on the global stage.
Forever Young’s success has also helped elevate the global recognition of dirt racing, while reigniting public enthusiasm in Japan for world-class racehorses. He is now being prepared to defend his title in the G1 Saudi Cup next month, followed by the G1 Dubai World Cup in March.
With an impressive career record and outstanding international achievements, Forever Young is not just a champion—he has become a symbol of national pride for Japan on the world stage of horse racing.
(Source: Thoroughbred Daily News)
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