Forever Young Seeks Dubai World Cup Glory After Back-to-Back Saudi Cup Wins

In Dubai, Forever Young will look to complete the unprecedented trifecta of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Saudi Cup, and the Dubai World Cup. No horse has ever swept all three. The five-year-old Japanese superstar arrives at Meydan with the momentum of a generational talent, and the numbers to back it up.

Forever Young has won 11 of his 14 career starts, a record that includes back-to-back Saudi Cup victories and a Breeders' Cup Classic title. He followed a half-length win over a loaded field in the 2025 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic with a one-length victory in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 14, boosting his career earnings to more than $29.3 million. The only blemishes on his record: third-place finishes behind last year's Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show, as well as third in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) and third in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He has never been worse than third.

A change of plans for the world's best dirt horse saw him undertake quieter work than intended at Meydan on Wednesday, three days out from the race. Japanese horses generally do their final fast gallop on the Wednesday before their target race, but trainer Yoshito Yahagi instructed regular rider Ryusei Sakai to restrain the five-year-old more than originally planned. Yahagi framed the adjustment as a sign of where the horse stands physically. "Ryusei Sakai breezed him over five furlongs this morning," Yahagi said. "We decided to give him lighter work than originally planned due to the fast track conditions here at Meydan. We successfully completed exactly what we intended to do this morning, Ryusei Sakai executed as planned, he looked to have a spring in his step and all is well." Sakai added: "There were no problems. He's in better shape than he was in Saudi Arabia, I think he's in fantastic condition."

Forever Young will break from gate 6 under Ryusei Sakai in a field of nine for Saturday's $12 million Dubai World Cup. Yahagi, who drew the gate at Wednesday's post-position ceremony, did not disguise his satisfaction with the assignment. "I wanted middle to outer, so I'm pleased," the trainer said.

The chief threat to a third-consecutive title defence remains Hit Show, the defending champion drawn alongside Forever Young in gate 5. It was the sensational and hard-earned 2025 Saudi Cup victory over Romantic Warrior that probably cost Forever Young a win six weeks later; he looked just a bit tired in last year's Dubai World Cup but still managed to finish a competitive third behind the upset winner Hit Show. Florent Geroux is back in the irons for Brad Cox's Wathnan Racing runner, and Case Clay, the American racing and bloodstock manager for Wathnan Racing, expects a similarly unpredictable trip. "He is a versatile horse and Florent knows him well," Clay said. "I'd say there won't be a lot in the way of instructions. Florent's going to see how the race unfolds and the horse can get through spots, like he did in the Fayette last October. He loves to train and he just continues to do very well." For his part, Geroux kept his pre-race words brief at the draw: "It doesn't matter for him really."

The third American contender, Magnitude, drew the rail and could set the pace that shapes the entire race. Scott Blasi, Asmussen's assistant trainer, said at the draw: "It's a short field and I think gate 1 of 9, with our pace, gives us a lot of options. I think he likes to be forwardly placed and we've won a lot of big races from the one hole." Magnitude arrives in form, having won the Clark Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and the Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 28, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and ridden by Jose L. Ortiz.

The rest of the field rounds out with Meydaan (gate 2, William Buick, Simon and Ed Crisford), Walk of Stars (gate 3, Mickael Barzalona), Heart of Honor (gate 4, Saffie Osborne), Imperial Emperor (gate 7, Tadhg O'Shea), Tap Leader (gate 8, Pat Dobbs), and Tumbarumba (gate 9, James Doyle). Bhupat Seemar, who saddles both Imperial Emperor and Walk of Stars, made clear his tactical plan for the former: "Forever Young is on the inside of him and he is going to be the favourite. He's the right horse to follow. Tadhg can just jump and follow him, hopefully all the way to the line, and hopefully we can be a head or a length in front."

The 2026 Dubai World Cup festival boasts a total prize pool of $30.5 million, with the headline Dubai World Cup offering $12 million to the winner. Victory in the $12 million race will make Forever Young the highest-earning racehorse of all time. For a horse who has finished third in this race before and arrives fresher than he was twelve months ago, that historical footnote may be exactly the motivation his connections need.