A relieved Ryusei Sakai was greeted by a huge crowd at Oi Racecourse chanting his name after the star jockey rode Forever Young to a dominant win in the Japan Dirt Classic on Wednesday night.
Some fans had camped overnight to have the best spots on the fence at the Tokyo circuit and reacted by screaming Ryusei’s name in unison after Forever Young’s authoritative win and the jockey’s exuberant celebration.
📹 さあ、BCクラシックへ！フォーエバーヤングがジャパンダートクラシックを勝利！💥
— Idol Horse (@idolhorsedotcom) October 2, 2024
まさに堂々、強い競馬で強力ライバルを一蹴。ウイニングランでは満員のスタンドから「瑠星！瑠星！」と声援が送られていました！@BreedersCup | @FUMACLUB#フォーエバーヤング #ジャパンダートクラシック pic.twitter.com/qah7bsyJtM
This weekend Sakai will be aboard winning owner Susumu Fujita’s Shin Emperor, also prepped by winning trainer Yoshito Yahagi, in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and he will be heading to Longchamp on a high after a crowd reaction that would have made the 27-year-old feel like a rockstar.
Sakai admitted he was feeling pressure before the Japan Dirt Classic after his heavily scrutinised ride on Forever Young at the colt’s last start in the Kentucky Derby, in which he finished a close third in a tight and controversial finish.
“He’s still undefeated domestically, and I felt true frustration after the race in America in the spring, so I’m eager to get my revenge and show everyone a stronger Forever Young,” Sakai told local racing website Umatoku after the race. “I want to win the next race in America, and starting tomorrow, I’ll be heading to France for the Arc. I’m going to do my best to win that as well.”
Forever Young’s next race will be the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on November 2 and Wednesday’s win showed a level of maturity that the colt will need against older horses in California.
Breaking from barrier one, Sakai showed composure after Forever Young took a misstep at the start to maintain a forward position and get one off the fence and outside the lead as the field passed the post for the first time. Forever Young withstood pressure through the middle stages and Sakai waited until the straight to make his move on the race favourite and leave second market pick Ramjet behind. Mikki Fight was the only horse to challenge in the run to the post but was safely held to a one and a quarter lengths second, and there was a gap of five lengths to third placegetter Sunrise Zipangu.
“I’m relieved. I knew I couldn’t afford to lose,” Sakai said. “Even though it was his first race back after a break, he was in good shape, and I was confident that if I could get the best out of him, he could win. I didn’t want to run inside and get stuck in the pack, so I was prepared to take the lead if necessary. Although we ended up settling in second, I adjusted, and he ran with a really good rhythm.”
【#ジャパンダートクラシック 結果】
— 地方競馬全国協会(NAR)公式 (@nar_keiba) October 2, 2024
1着 1フォーエバーヤング
2着 10ミッキーファイト
3着 12サンライズジパング
第26回ジャパンダートクラシック(JpnI)は坂井瑠星騎手騎乗のフォーエバーヤングが制しました。 pic.twitter.com/GLheSKVgoo
Forever Young will be part of a strong team headed to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup from Japan. The Breeders’ Cup’s Japan-based representative Kate Hunter revealed yesterday that 19 horses had been booked to fly from Japan, including Forever Young’s fellow Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake.
