A Paradigm Shift in Japanese Racing: Forever Young and the Evolution of the JRA Horse of the Year Award
- Archie Brookes
- Jan 6
- 5 min read
By Archie Brookes (@abracing0)
The 2025 racing season in Japan represents a seminal moment in the history of the sport, characterised not by traditional turf dominance, but by a significant structural evolution within the Japan Racing Association (JRA). In an unprecedented decision, the selection committee has conferred the title of Horse of the Year upon Forever Young, a specialist in dirt racing.
Historically, the hierarchy of Japanese thoroughbred racing has been defined by performance on turf. Luminaries such as Deep Impact, Orfevre, and Equinox established their legacies through victories in the classic 2,400-metre turf events at Tokyo and Kyoto. Conversely, dirt racing was frequently regarded as a subsidiary discipline, primarily associated with the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuits or utilised by horses lacking the acceleration required for elite turf competition. However, through a global campaign that secured victories in the world's most lucrative dirt contests in Saudi Arabia and the United States, Forever Young has necessitated a re-evaluation of long-standing biases, compelling the JRA to redefine its criteria for excellence.
Pedigree Analysis and Genetic Composition
To comprehend the ascendancy of Forever Young, one must examine his genetic profile. The colt is the product of a deliberate breeding strategy employed by Northern Farm, designed to synthesise the stamina of the Japanese "Sunday Silence" line with the precocious speed characteristic of the American "A.P. Indy" family.
Sired by Real Steel - a son of Deep Impact - Forever Young inherited the superior cardiovascular capacity associated with premier Japanese bloodlines. Crucially, his dam, the American Grade 2 victor Forever Darling, contributed the essential "American engine": the muscular density and early velocity required to navigate the deep, sandy tracks of Japan and the firmer dirt surfaces of North America. This synergistic pedigree has enabled the horse to bridge the disparity between distinct racing environments, possessing the stamina to endure classic distances and the torque necessary to accelerate through kickback.
Historical Context: The 2024 Season and Subsequent Resurgence
The magnitude of the 2025 accolade is best understood in the context of the preceding season. The 2024 campaign was distinguished by narrow defeats in international Grade 1 competition, most notably a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby - determined by a margin of mere inches in a three-way photo finish - and a third-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
While objectively impressive, these performances failed to garner significant support from the traditionally conservative JRA voting body. In the 2024 awards, Forever Young received only 19 votes for Horse of the Year, in stark contrast to the 236 votes awarded to the turf champion Do Deuce. Instead, he was presented with a "Special Award," a distinction that appeared to reinforce the perception that dirt achievements were secondary to turf success. Consequently, the 2025 season functioned as a campaign of redemption, meticulously orchestrated by trainer Yoshito Yahagi.
The 2025 International Campaign: The Saudi Cup
The season commenced with the $20 million Saudi Cup, the richest horse race in the world. Confronting a field that included the Hong Kong turf champion Romantic Warrior, Forever Young and jockey Ryusei Sakai executed a tactically astute performance.
Despite drawing the disadvantageous Barrier 14, Sakai elected to navigate a wide path, thereby mitigating exposure to "kickback" - the flying debris that had previously impeded the colt in Kentucky. In a prolonged duel down the Riyadh stretch, Forever Young demonstrated superior stamina, overcoming his rivals to prevail by a neck in a time of 1:49.09. This victory effectively established him as the highest-rated dirt horse globally.
Although this triumph was followed by a third-place finish in the Dubai World Cup - where a slow pace allowed American competitors Hit Show and Mixto to secure an early advantage - it served as a precursor to the campaign's primary objective: the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic Victory
The Breeders’ Cup Classic in November was widely anticipated as a definitive rematch against the rivals who had defeated him in 2024: Sierra Leone, the late-closing runner-up of the Kentucky Derby, and Fierceness.
Sakai demonstrated significant tactical evolution in his riding strategy. Departing from the passive positioning of the previous year, he asserted initiative early in the race. Approaching the final turn, Sakai advanced Forever Young to the lead, establishing a strategic advantage before the closing pack could organise their challenge. When Sierra Leone accelerated in the centre of the track - a sight that must have triggered traumatic flashbacks for the connections - Forever Young displayed remarkable resilience, maintaining his position to win by half a length.
This achievement marked the first instance of a Japanese-trained horse winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Trainer Yahagi characterised the victory with high emotion, comparing it to the Japanese national football team winning the World Cup.
The JRA Awards: A Historic Coronation
Following his historic triumph at Del Mar, the connections elected to conclude Forever Young's 2025 campaign, bypassing the year-end domestic fixtures to focus on recovery and preparation for the upcoming season. Thus, his case for the highest honour rested entirely on his international exploits, without the "domestic ratification" of a year-end run in Japan.
The subsequent voting results indicated a profound shift in JRA philosophy. In contrast to the previous year, Forever Young swept the major categories:
Horse of the Year
Best Dirt Horse
Best Older Male
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Socio-Economic Implications and Management
The success of Forever Young also represents a significant socio-economic phenomenon. Owner Susumu Fujita, CEO of CyberAgent and the progenitor of the popular multimedia franchise Uma Musume Pretty Derby, has fostered a "virtuous cycle" within the industry. Revenue generated by the game is reinvested into the acquisition of elite bloodstock, while the competitive success of horses like Forever Young stimulates further engagement from a younger demographic.
Furthermore, Mr. Yahagi has emerged as a global ambassador for Japanese racing - an ambassador who treats domestic races primarily as preparatory events for international targets, challenges traditional insular perspectives and promotes a borderless approach to the sport.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
As the incumbent Horse of the Year, Forever Young enters the 2026 season in a position of supremacy. With nominations already submitted for the defence of his Saudi Cup title, the colt appears poised for continued dominance.
For decades, the JRA Horse of the Year award remained the exclusive preserve of turf specialists. Forever Young has not merely joined this elite cohort; he has fundamentally altered the parameters of the award, demonstrating that in the contemporary era, excellence is defined not by the surface, but by the scale of global achievement.
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