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SARGA.CO — A horse from the Far East crossed the finish line first at Del Mar Racetrack, California. Forever Young, a four-year-old colt from Japan, surged forward with a powerful final stride. Behind his pounding breath, history was made — for the first time, a Japan-trained horse has won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the US$7 million race that has stood as the pinnacle of global horse racing for over four decades.
It wasn’t just a fast race — it was a symbol of determination across oceans. Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young completed the race in 2:00.19, finishing half a length ahead of last year’s champion, Sierra Leone.
His victory was one of many remarkable stories behind Breeders’ Cup 2025, an event that has evolved beyond racing into a global celebration of the sport. According to AmericasBestRacing.net, here are nine highlights:
Forever Young shattered the myth that the Breeders’ Cup Classic is an “American-only” domain. After years of trying, Japan finally broke through the U.S. dominance in the sport’s most prestigious race. In 42 previous editions, no Asian-trained horse had ever won.
Forever Young also achieved sweet revenge after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby, narrowly losing to Mystik Dan and Sierra Leone.
“Fierceness and Sierra Leone are retiring, so this was my last chance to face them together,” said owner Susume Fujita. “It’s been my dream to defeat both — and today, that dream came true.”
Traditionally, the Classic winner is a top contender for Horse of the Year — 16 of the last 41 champions have earned the title. But that may not be the case this year.
Despite his impressive performance, Forever Young only raced once in the U.S. this season. Analysts say his chances are slim, especially compared to Sovereignty, who won the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and DraftKings Travers Stakes, but withdrew from the Classic due to illness. It’s an irony — a horse conquers foreign soil yet may not be crowned the best.
For Sierra Leone, track conditions simply didn’t suit his running style. Trainer Chad Brown admitted that the track bias worked against his horse.
“I don’t want to take anything away from the winner, but speed ruled all day,” Brown said after Sierra Leone’s second-place finish. “My horse ran bravely against the bias and nearly made it. He and Forever Young have had an amazing rivalry since the Derby — today just belonged to Forever Young.”
The Classic proved too much for Contrary Thinking, a horse originally entered to set the pace for Sierra Leone. After two disappointing finishes in his last starts — including causing Mindframe to lose his jockey at the Jockey Club Gold Cup — Contrary Thinking once again failed to deliver.
Spendthrift Farm’s Ted Noffey confirmed himself as a young stallion with everything — class, intelligence, and athleticism. The reigning two-year-old champion and early favorite for the 2026 Kentucky Derby, Ted Noffey, has already won at Saratoga, Keeneland, and Del Mar with jockey John Velazquez.
“He handles himself like a seasoned five-year-old,” said Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. “He’s composed and professional in everything he does.”
The Breeders’ Cup isn’t just one race — it’s two days of world-class competition, featuring 14 races and over US$34 million in prize money. From promising juveniles to turf sprinters, each event carries the high-stakes energy of a global championship weekend.
The 2025 Breeders’ Cup generated US$180.03 million in wagers — the third-highest in history and slightly above last year’s US$179.21 million. The record remains US$189.06 million, set at Keeneland in 2022 — proof that the event continues to captivate fans worldwide.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. once again dominated the Breeders’ Cup, claiming his sixth Bill Shoemaker Award in eight years — given to the most outstanding rider across the 14 races.
“It’s one of my favorite weekends of the year,” Ortiz said. “Winning this trophy means a lot because it comes from performing your best on the biggest stage.”
Trainer George Weaver celebrated his first-ever Breeders’ Cup victory with Cy Fair, a small but lightning-fast filly who won the Juvenile Turf Sprint. She became only the second filly in history to win that race — a historic and heartwarming triumph.
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