Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young (JPN) ($9), third in last year’s race behind Sierra Leone and Fierceness, turned the tables Saturday afternoon at Del Mar to win the 42nd running of the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) for 3-year-olds and up by a half-length over Sierra Leone.
Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young covered the mile and a quarter over a fast track in 2:00.19. The victory is the third for Yahagi in the World Championships and first in the Classic. It is Sakai’s first Breeders’ Cup win.
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More forwardly placed than last year, Forever Young tracked in third behind Contrary Thinking and Fierceness through opening fractions of :23.04, :45.97 and 1:10.48.
Approaching the far turn, Sakai gave Forever Young his cue and he swept to the front with Mindframe and Journalism also on the move and Fierceness saving ground on the inside. Forever Young maintained a safe margin over Fierceness and then was able to hold the late charge from Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone finished a length in front of Fierceness who was 2 ¼ lengths in front of Journalism with Mindframe, Baeza, Nevada Beach, Antiquarian and Contrary Thinking following in order.
Forever Young is a 4-year-old son of Real Steel (JPN) out of the Congrats mare Forever Darling. The victory was worth $3,640,000 and increased his earnings to $19,358,590 with a record of 13-10-0-3 that includes three Grade or Group 1 wins.
2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic Replay
Gezora Takes Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Peter Brant’s Gezora (FR) ($20.20) surged past She Feels Pretty in deep stretch to post a half-length victory in the 27th running of the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Turf (G1) at Del Mar to close out the 42nd World Championships.
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, Gezora completed the mile and three-eighths over a firm turf course in 2:12.54. It is the first World Championship victory for Graffard and second for Barzalona.
Longshot Be Your Best (IRE) led the field of 13 through fractions of :24.36, :47.43 and 1:11.17 while being tracked by five-time Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty. Going into the far turn, She Feels Pretty took command while Gezora began closing in from midpack. She Feels Pretty dug in during the run to the wire only to be passed inside the sixteenth pole by Gezora.
The victory was worth $1,040,000 and increased her earnings to $2,037,412 with a record of 10-5-2-1 that includes two Grade or Group 1 victories. Gezora is a 3-year-old daughter of Almanzor (FR) out of the Silver Hawk mare Germance.
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Replay
Nysos Prevails in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile
Baoma Corp.’s Nysos ($3.40) wore down stablemate Citizen Bull in the shadow of the wire to post a head victory in the 19th running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, the winner completed the mile on the fast main track in 1:34.71. It was Baffert’s second victory of these Championships and 21st overall to put him in a tie with Aidan O’Brien for the most Breeders’ Cup victories all time.
Prat also won his second race of these Championships for nine overall and two in the Dirt Mile.
Citizen Bull, also trained by Baffert and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) here last year, was pressured by last year’s Dirt Mile winner Full Serrano (ARG) and Touch of Destiny (URU) as Nysos received a ground-saving trip from Prat through fractions of :21.74 and :44.96.
On the far turn, Citizen Bull disposed of his two closest pursuers but Prat had moved Nysos off the rail and began to close the gap. It took the length of the stretch, but Nysos finally pushed past in the final yards.
Nysos is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Nyquist out of the Bernardini mare Zetta Z. The victory was his sixth in seven starts and his first Grade 1 triumph. With Saturday’s $520,000 check, he increased his earnings to $1,118,500.
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Replay
Scylla Wires Field in Breeders’ Cup Distaff
Juddmonte’s homebred Scylla ($17.20) went to the front and kept going in posting a 5 ½-length victory over Nitrogen in winning the 42nd running of the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) for fillies and mares Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Scylla completed the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.07. The victory is Mott’s sixth in the Distaff and 16th overall in the World Championships. It is the fourth Breeders’ Cup victory for Alvarado.
Scylla, fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), went to the front out of the gate while under pressure from Gin Gin and favored Seismic Beauty through fractions of :22.27 and :45.75 with Nitrogen getting a ground-saving trip in fourth.
On the turn, Scylla began to cruise unopposed as Nitrogen moved into second only to have Scylla expand her lead. Nitrogen held second by a half-length over Regaled, who rallied from far back to get third.
The victory, her first Grade 1 after four placings at that level, was worth $1,040,000 to increase her earnings to $2,287,795 with a record of 16-6-5-3. Scylla is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit out of the First Defence mare Close Hatches.
Breeders’ Cup Distaff Replay
Ethical Diamond Shocks in Breeders’ Cup Turf
H O S Syndicate’s Ethical Diamond (IRE) ($57.40) launched a huge run from the back of the pack to post a 1 ¼-length victory over two-time race winner Rebel’s Romance (IRE) to capture the 42nd running of the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) for 3-year-olds and up at Del Mar Saturday afternoon.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Dylan McMonagle, Ethical Diamond completed the 1 ½ miles on firm ground in a course-record 2:25.45. It is the first victory in the World Championships for both trainer and jockey.
Longshots Silawi (IRE) and Rashabar (IRE) set the pace through fractions of :23.22, :47.53 and 1:11.99 as Rebel’s Romance received a ground-saving trip behind the leaders with Ethical Diamond having only two horses beat in the field of 14 going down the backstretch.
Approaching the far turn, the leaders began to retreat as favored Minnie Hauk (IRE) hit the front with Rebel’s Romance right on her heels after exiting traffic. Meanwhile, Ethical Diamond was coming with a six-wide move at the head of the lane and blew past the leaders to secure the victory.
Ethical Diamond is a 5-year-old son of Awtaad (IRE) out of the Areion (GER) mare Pearl Diamond (GER). The victory was worth $2,600,000 and boosted Ethical Diamond’s earnings to $3,121,001 with a record of 15-5-1-1.
Breeders’ Cup Turf Replay
Bentornato Delivers in Breeders’ Cup Sprint
Leon King Stable Corp.’s Bentornato ($5.40), second in this race last year, lived up to his role as the favorite this time around in scoring a 2 ¼-length victory over Imagination in the 42nd running of the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Jose D’Angelo and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Bentornato covered 6 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:08.20. The victory completed a consecutive race sweep for D’Angelo and Ortiz, who won the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) 40 minutes before with Shisospicy.
It is D’Angelo’s second Breeders’ Cup victory and 23rd for Ortiz with four coming in the Sprint.
Bentornato emerged with the lead out of the gate with defending champion Straight No Chaser and American Stage pressing him through opening fractions of :21.48 and :44.14. Approaching the top of the stretch, Bentornato put away Straight No Chaser and opened up on the field with none of the closers making any headway.
Bentornato increased his earnings to $2,322,180 with Saturday’s $1,040,000 check. In winning his first Grade 1 race, the 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Valiant Minister out of the Put It Back mare Her Special Way improved his record to 11-7-2-2.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint Replay
Splendora Rolls to Victory in Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
By Talla Racing’s Splendora ($7.80) roared past her favored stablemate Hope Road at the top of the stretch and drew off for a 4 ¾-length victory over Vahva to win the 19th running of the $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) to kick off nine World Championships races Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, Splendora completed 7 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:21.79. It is the 20th victory in the World Championships for Baffert and second in this race and it is the eighth Breeders’ Cup win for Prat.
Haulin Ice led a three-horse scramble for the lead through an opening quarter-mile of :22.12 before Hope Road took over exiting the backstretch. Hope Road held the advantage around the turn but Prat was launching a wide bid on Splendora that drew them on even terms at the head of the lane.
Hope Road offered no resistance as Splendora rocketed past to secure her first graded-stakes victory.
The victory was worth $520,000 and increased her earnings to $860,800 with a record of 10-5-4-0. Splendora is a 4-year-old Maryland-bred daughter of Audible out of the Frost Giant mare Miss Freeze.
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Replay
Shisospicy Wires Field in Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint
Morplay Racing and Qatar Racing’s Shisospicy ($12.60) went to the front out of the gate and held the advantage all the way around to post a 2 ½-length victory over Ag Bullet to win the 19th running of the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) for 3-year-olds and up Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
Trained by Jose D’Angelo and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Shisospicy covered the 5 furlongs on a firm turf course in :55.24. It is the first victory in the World Championships for D’Angelo and the 22nd for Ortiz and second in this race.
Shisospicy was challenged early by Invincible Papa (AUS) with Ag Bullet tracking a close third through an opening quarter-mile in :21.75. She maintained a daylight advantage on the field through the turn and opened up in the stretch and was not challenged in the run to the finish.
The victory was worth $520,000 and improved Shisospicy’s earnings to $2,090,270 with a record of 9-6-1-1 that now includes three graded-stakes victories.
Shisospicy is a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Mitole out of the Into Mischief mare Mischief Galore.
