Forever Young Cruises in Jockey Club Gold Cup as The Puma Takes Pennsylvania Derby

Two $1 million Grade I races on consecutive days produced emphatic answers — and some lingering questions — ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Japan’s Forever Young, the reigning Eclipse Award champion older dirt male and Japan’s 2025 Horse of the Year, dominated a field scratched down to three rivals in Friday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup, the first stakes event run at the rebuilt Belmont Park. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi, whose colt is a two-time winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup, marveled at his charge even while declining to declare himself fully satisfied with the effort.

“I think I will never see a horse like this again in my life,” Yahagi said, though he later estimated his satisfaction with the performance at only about 50 percent, noting the horse’s physical fitness was roughly 80 percent with room to improve in conditioning.

The victory added to a résumé that already includes the Tokyo Daishoten, the UAE Derby and the Saudi Derby, along with a runner-up finish in the Dubai World Cup and a third-place effort in the Kentucky Derby.

Pennsylvania Derby shuffle

Saturday’s Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing offered less clarity among 3-year-olds, but The Puma improved his standing with a half-length victory over 2-1 favorite Further Ado. The colt previously captured the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby, lost the Florida Derby by a nose to Commandment, and ran fourth in both the Haskell and the Travers after missing the Triple Crown campaign.

Trainer Gustavo Delgado stopped short of confirming a Classic start, saying the connections would return to Saratoga to confer before deciding.

Bodacious Bay, a Not This Time filly sold privately after finishing second in the Monmouth Oaks and transferred to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., delivered immediately with a win in Saturday’s $1 million Cotillion.

The Breeders’ CupMeet at Keeneland figures to drive wagering volumes across the industry this fall, with operators such as Churchill Downs Incorporated (CHDN) among the companies exposed to pari-mutuel handle trends. CHDN shares traded at $81.91 on Monday, down 1.66 percent from a prior close of $83.29, valuing the company at roughly $6.07 billion.

What to watch

• Breeders’ Cup pre-entries and whether Forever Young and The Puma are confirmed for the Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
• Further conditioning reports on Forever Young given Yahagi’s assessment of his current fitness level.
• Industry wagering-handle figures in the run-up to the Breeders’ Cup, a key seasonal driver for betting operators including Churchill Downs.

Source: original release