Susumu Fujita's reigning Champion Older Dirt Male and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young turned in a half-mile breeze over the main track Sunday at Belmont Park, his final local move before shipping to Keeneland on Tuesday to make his final preparations for a title defense in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on October 31.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the 5-year-old son of Real Steel followed a similar routine to his efforts the last two Sundays when breezing a half-mile in 51.98 seconds last week, and enjoying an open gallop over the main track on October 4.
Amid a chilly morning today, he backed up clockwise to the backside to begin his half-mile breeze under assistant trainer and regular exercise rider Yuki Araki, with NYRA clockers catching him through an opening quarter-mile in 25 and 3/5 seconds and a half-mile in 49 and 3/5 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02 3/5. He stepped off the track and made his way to the tree-lined horse path on Belmont's backstretch to walk several laps before returning to his barn.
Araki said he was pleased to see Forever Young come through the lane a touch straighter than he did in his effort last Sunday.
"Solid -- compared to last time we breezed, on the straight he slightly [drifted out], but today, he had more straightness," Araki said. "He improved and mentally, he is really going forward, which is positive.
"We needed a good breeze out today -- we kind of mixed it up American style," he added. "I asked him from the five-furlong post, but I didn't have to ask him too much. He knew he was breezing today and picked it up well. Lovely traveling and cruising. I'm very satisfied."
The globetrotting superstar has been stabled at Belmont Park for just over one month, with his connections choosing to remain here to train for the Breeders' Cup following a 3 1/4-length victory in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 18 here.
Araki said the amenities available to horsemen at Belmont -- including dirt on the main and training tracks; and Tapeta on both the inner track and the quarter-mile pony track -- have made for an ideal base for Forever Young to train.
"This is very good, Belmont -- a training camp for him," Araki said. "We gave him a lot of things to do, and he [is] doing really well. I'm really impressed. We appreciate the host and everything is going so well."
Araki said Forever Young will have an easy day off tomorrow before shipping to Keeneland on Tuesday.
Forever Young, winner of last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, looks to join Tiznow [2000-01] as the only horses to have won the Breeders' Cup Classic twice. He has made 16 starts across 10 racetracks in four countries, including wins in back-to-back editions of the $20 million Saudi Cup in 2025-26 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, and the 2024 Tokyo Daishoten in his native country, where he is undefeated through six efforts.
At Saratoga Race Course this morning, Godolphin's reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty breezed in company over the Oklahoma dirt training track, covering five-eighths in 1:02.76 for Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott. That work comes one week after breezing the same distance there in 1:04.01 as he prepares for the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Phileas Fogg posts sharp breeze ahead of Classic
Jupiter Stable's Phileas Fogg breezed a solo five furlongs in 57 seconds flat, according to NYRA Clockers, on Sunday over the Belmont Park main track with Kendrick Carmouche up, galloping out six furlongs in 1:09 2/5.
Trained by Gustavo Rodriguez, the 6-year-old Astern gelding dominated the Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon Life in July at Saratoga Race Course ahead of a last-out fourth in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 18 at Belmont Park. He has since targeted the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on October 31 at Keeneland.
"He breezed extremely fast," Rodriguez said. "We weren't looking for that kind of work. He worked too fast. I think the track is fast, but he still worked faster than what we wanted."
Phileas Fogg completed his third local breeze since his last effort, following a five-furlong move in 1:00.60 last Sunday over the Belmont training track.
"Last breeze, he breezed good and everything, but he was a little bit 'ouchy' with the left [front] foot. I said to Kendrick, 'I think we've got him good again.' We put the glue-on [shoes] on him," said Rodriguez. "I said, 'Listen, if he feels good, I don't want him to go smoking, but I don't want him to go slow either. If he feels good to you, let him breeze good.' He's never breezed like that before."
Rodriguez said the foot issue will continue to be monitored.
"We've got to check him out," Rodriguez said shortly after the breeze. "I think last time he probably stepped on a rock or a shoe on the track, I'm not sure. We've been checking him every day."
The pre-entry deadline for the Breeders' Cup World Championships is Monday, October 19 at 12 p.m. Eastern.
Scottish Lassie breezes for Breeders' Cup Distaff
Sportsmen Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Photos Finish, Corms Racing Stable and trainer Jorge Abreu's Scottish Lassie breezed a half-mile in 47 2/5 seconds, according to NYRA Clockers, on Sunday over the Belmont Park main track as she prepares for Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on October 31 at Keeneland.
The 4-year-old McKinzie dark bay worked to the outside of dual graded stakes-placed Nelson Avenue just after 8:30 on a chilly morning in Elmont, N.Y.
"She breezed pretty good and smooth to me," Abreu said. "She had a really nice breeze: 47 and two, out in 59 and change. She was on the outside, with Nelson Avenue on the inside. Nelson Avenue is a good work horse. I didn't want somebody to overdo it, and she is also a good work horse, so they've been breezing pretty evenly. Before all her races, I've been trying to use him as a workmate for her."
On Sunday, Edgard Zayas was aboard Scottish Lassie. She is slated to ship to Keeneland later today [Sunday] and have one more work there with Luis Saez up, who is slated to ride in the Distaff.
"She goes to Keeneland today," said Abreu. "She'll have a final breeze with Luis over there on Sunday next week."
Scottish Lassie won her seasonal debut by 8 1/2-lengths sprinting seven furlongs against optional claiming company in June at Saratoga Race Course, and followed with runner-up efforts to Fully Subscribed in the Grade 2 Shuvee in July and Grade 1 Personal Ensign last out on August 29 at the Spa.
Michelle Nevin goes a perfect 3-for-3 on Fall Starter Championship Day
Saturday's card at Belmont Park offered 11 Fall Starter Championship races open to horses 3-years-old and up that have started for a prescribed claiming price since July 1, 2025, and trainer Michelle Nevin enjoyed a fruitful day when all three of her Winfield Racing-owned starters came home victorious in their respective races.
"It's great," Nevin said of the card worth a combined $1.085 million in purses. "These are some hard-knocking older horses, so for them to have the opportunity to earn that kind of money in a day is pretty good."
Nevin's perfect day began in Race 2 when River Seine won the $110,000 Tiffany's Taylor, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares that was slated for the inner turf but moved to the Tapeta course. The 4-year-old Soldier's Call bay made her first start for the connections, who haltered her for $45,000 out of a nose second in a starter optional claiming tilt in August at Saratoga Race Course.
Guided by Antonio Fresu on Saturday, River Seine led every step of the way to victory and held off the charge of Gift of Gab by three-quarter-lengths in a final time of 1:10.27. She earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure in victory.
"So far, so good," Nevin said of how River Seine came back from the effort. "It was great to see a nice turnaround for the owner."
In Race 6, Nevin and Winfield sent out Meg's Foxy Grey to win the $90,000 Glass Ceiling, a 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for fillies and mares. The 4-year-old daughter of Instilled Regard pounced from 1 1/2 lengths off the pace under Fresu to edge clear to the 1 3/4-length victory in a final time of 1:15.86. She earned a career-high 85 Beyer.
"She's so beautiful, and such a nice filly to be around," Nevin said. "She's so sweet."
Nevin said she is pleased with what she's seen from Fresu, who moved his tack from California to New York this meet and has notched 11 wins ahead of Sunday's card, good for a four-way tie for fifth in the riding standings.
"He's doing great -- he's a smart rider, he's patient, doesn't panic and doesn't rush them," Nevin said. "He really is doing a good job."
The team capped their day in Race 8 with a deep-closing victory from Brunch With Amy in the $80,000 Battle Bling, a one-turn mile for fillies and mares. The 5-year-old Bernardini dark bay was haltered for $20,000 out of a win two starts back, and improved from a distant sixth-place finish in a local optional claimer on October 1. She pounced from eighth-of-9 in the Battle Bling to win by two lengths under Samuel Marin in a final time of 1:15.86, earning a 77 Beyer.
"I thought Samuel gave her an excellent ride," Nevin said. "She's always been one that doesn't get out of the gate great, but he didn't panic and let her get into her stride, and once he felt she was rolling, he just angled her [out] and it was picture-perfect. We're just blessed with the jockeys we have here."
Other winners of the Fall Starter Championships include Commuted [Race 1, $90,000 Creme de La Fete], Frizzante [Race 3, $90,000 Lone Rock], Seat At the Table [Race 4, $110,000 Evvie Jets], Mission Improbable [Race 5, $110,000 Silver Timber], Carc Brothers [Race 7, $110,000 Cross Border], Georgia Magic [Race 9, $110,000 Be Bullish], Unit Economics [Race 10, $110,000 Voodoo Song] and Pineapple Man [Race 11, $75,000 Royal Posse].
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.
