Forever Young Sets Course For Belmont Return, Breeders’ Cup Title Defense
For much of the spring and early summer, the racing world waited to learn where Japanese superstar Forever Young would surface next. On Sunday, those plans came into focus, and they include a highly anticipated appearance at the newly reopened Belmont Park.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi and owner Susumu Fujita have elected to bring the reigning Breeders’ Cup Classic winner to New York for the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 18 before attempting to defend his crown in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Oct. 31. The decision ends speculation that the globetrotting champion might target one of Europe’s marquee autumn events.
The announcement adds considerable star power to Belmont Park’s reopening festivities. The historic track, which has undergone an extensive reconstruction project since 2023, returns to the racing calendar this fall, and the presence of one of the world’s most accomplished dirt horses immediately elevates the significance of opening day.
Forever Young has become one of international racing’s most recognizable stars. The 5-year-old son of Real Steel enters the second half of 2026 with 11 victories from 15 starts and has amassed more than $31 million in earnings. His résumé already includes back-to-back victories in the Saudi Cup as well as a breakthrough triumph in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic, where he became the first horse bred in Japan to win North America’s premier dirt race.
His most recent appearance came in the Dubai World Cup on March 28, where he finished second to Magnitude after another strong performance on the international stage. Since returning home to Japan, Forever Young has been enjoying his customary summer freshening.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup represents a logical steppingstone. The historic 10-furlong test has long served as one of the most important fall dirt races in America and carries a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The race returns to Belmont Park this year after being contested at Saratoga during the track’s renovation period.
While invitations reportedly arrived from prominent European racing organizations, including connections to major autumn events in France and Ireland, Yahagi and Fujita ultimately chose to keep their champion focused on dirt racing in North America. The decision underscores their confidence that Forever Young remains at his best on the surface that has made him a global attraction.
For racing fans, the prospect is tantalizing. Belmont’s reopening will now feature a horse who has become a standard-bearer for Japanese racing, while the Breeders’ Cup Classic could provide one of the year’s defining storylines should Forever Young attempt to join the select group of repeat winners of the race.
Between now and September, much can change in the older dirt division. But one thing is already certain: the road to the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic will run through Belmont Park, and Forever Young will be at the center of the conversation.
