By Alan Carasso
Making his first start in his home country since last December and his first since that rough-and-tumble third in the GI Kentucky Derby, Susumu Fujita's FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) (c, 3, Real Steel {Jpn}–Forever Darling, by Congrats) overcame a slight stumble at the break and a tricky trip from between horses to prep in victorious fashion for next month's GI Breeders' Cup Classic in Wednesday's Listed Japan Dirt Classic at Ohi Racecourse. Favored at 70 cents on the dollar, the Yoshito Yahagi trainee was away somewhat awkwardly from the inside gate, but recovered nicely and was taken to the outside to stalk the pace from second and raced in the two path and between rivals for most of the journey. He appeared to come off the bridle for a stride or two approaching the straight, but he was back into the bit and on the attack at the 400-meter mark, hit the front shortly after and came away to take it by 1 1/4 lengths. Chief market rival Ramjet (Jpn) (Majestic Warrior) made middle move to be in contention four wide on the turn, but he was under pressure when the real running began and stayed on at one pace for fourth. Sales history: $720,603 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE & KSA, GISP-US, 7-6-0-1. O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern Racing; T-Yoshito Yahagi.
改めて世代最強示し、いざ米国へ！#フォーエバーヤング#坂井瑠星 #藤田晋 #高橋一生#ジャパンダートクラシックhttps://t.co/n9jB0hiM2D
撮影：高橋正和 pic.twitter.com/rvAbvZ6SCZ— netkeiba (@netkeiba) October 2, 2024
Wednesday's Results:
JAPAN DIRT CLASSIC (Jpn-G1)-Listed, ¥119,000,000 ($817,292), Ohi, 10-2, 3yo, 2000m, 2:04.10, ft.
1–FOREVER YOUNG (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Real Steel (Jpn)
1st Dam: Forever Darling (GSW-US, $217,545), by Congrats
2nd Dam: Darling My Darling, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
(¥98,000,000 yrl'22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern Farm; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥70,000,000. Lifetime: Record: GSW-UAE & KSA, GISP-US, 7-6-0-1, $3,031,701.
2–Mikki Fight (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Drefong–Special Groove (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). O-Mizuki Noda; B-Northern Farm; T-Hiroyasu Tanaka; J-Keita Tosaki; ¥24,500,000.
3–Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Kizuna (Jpn)–Saimaa (Ire), by Zoffany (Ire). (¥64,000,000 yrl'22 JRHAJUL). O-Life House; B-Oiwake Farm; T-Hidetaka Otonashi; J-Yutaka Take; ¥14,000,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 5, 1. Odds: 0.70, 5.50, 6.00. Click for the goracing.jp chart.
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