RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Forever Young cemented his status as a global racing powerhouse, becoming the first horse to win the Saudi Cup twice with a commanding victory on Saturday, February 14, 2026. The 5-year-vintage son of Real Steel, ridden by Ryusei Sakai and trained by Yoshito Yahagi, held off a determined challenge from American contender Nysos, trained by Bob Baffert, by one length.
The win marks Yahagi’s third victory in the seven runnings of the $20 million G1 Saudi Cup, adding to his previous successes with Panthalassa in 2023 and Forever Young’s initial triumph in 2025. Yahagi now holds the record for most wins by a trainer at the Saudi Cup meeting, with seven victories overall.
Nysos, coming off wins in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and the Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (G2), proved a formidable opponent, pushing Forever Young throughout the stretch. Although, Forever Young demonstrated superior stamina and determination, securing the win in a time of 1:51.03 over the 1,800-meter (approximately 1 1/8 mile) distance.
“He’s still not 100%,” Yahagi said after the race, despite the decisive victory. “But when he approached the top of the stretch, I was confident.”
The defeat was particularly stinging for Baffert, who has now finished second in the Saudi Cup four times. “That jockey just rides him with so much confidence,” Baffert commented, acknowledging Sakai’s skillful ride. “Well, even King Kong got beat.”
Tumbarumba finished third, 3 ¾ lengths behind the winner, followed by Bishops Bay in fourth. Rattle N Roll, trained by Kenny McPeek, finished ninth, whereas Baffert’s second starter, Nevada Beach, finished 12th of 13.
Forever Young’s journey to back-to-back Saudi Cup victories began with a win in the 2024 Saudi Derby, after a challenging start where he appeared beaten before unleashing a powerful late surge. He followed that with a win in the UAE Derby (G2) and a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1), narrowly missing victory by a nose. After a period of rest, he returned to form, winning the Japan Dirt Classic before finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). He concluded the 2024 season with a win in the Tokyo Daishoten (G1).
His 2025 Saudi Cup win involved a thrilling duel with Romantic Warrior, where he rallied to snatch victory by a neck. A subsequent third-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1) was attributed by Yahagi to prerace issues. He then secured another significant win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, again defeating Sierra Leone.
With the Saudi Cup being part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, Forever Young has earned a paid, automatic berth into this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
Owner Susumu Fujita hinted at a possible extension of Forever Young’s racing career, stating, “The plan was to retire at the finish of the year. But I could extend that by two more months for another Saudi Cup.”
