Share
Cindy's Horse Racing Website Index
Latest Articles

 Kennedy Road Stakes
 Betty Grable Stakes
 Breeders Cup Wrap Up
 Breeders Cup Saturday
 Breeders Cupnbsp;Friday


Ryusei Sakai celebrates aboard Forever Young after winning the Classic.

Breeders' Cup
World Championships Results

Date: 11/1/2025

Saturday Results Summary (dirt)  -  Saturday Results Summary (turf)  -  F&M Sprint -  Turf Sprint -  Dirt Mile -  F&M Turf -  Sprint -  Mile -  Distaff -  Turf -  Classic
Friday Results Summary -  Juvenile Turf Sprint -  Juvenile Fillies Turf -  Juvenile Fillies -  Juvenile Turf -  Juvenile  
Entries   -   Wrap Up   -   Wednesday Works   -   Thursday Works

The $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) featured a field of 9 older horses (after Sovereignty scratched). Last year's runner-up Fierceness was sent off as the 3-1 favorite off his win in the Pacific Classic (G1). In to challenge him included 7-2 second choice Forever Young, third in last year's Classic and winner of the Saudi Cup (G1) before finishing 3rd in the Dubai World Cup (G1), and 4-1 third choice, defending champion Sierra Leone off a 2nd place finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) after winning the Whitney (G1).

Forever Young draws away down the stretch.

Jockey Florent Geroux sent 66-1 longest shot Contrary Thinking to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.04, 45.97, and 1:10.48 while pressed by Forever Young and stalked by Fierceness. Turning for home Contrary Thinking tired badly as Forever Young took over through 1 mile in 1:35.70, opening up a 1 1/2 length lead on Fierceness at the 1/8 pole. Kept to task by Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young held off late-running Sierra Leone to win by 1/2 a length in 2:00.19. It was a length back to favorite Fierceness third.

Forever Young wins the Classic
Pgm  Horse               Jockey            Win   Place  Show
 5   Forever Young       Sakai            9.00    4.80  3.20
 7   Sierra Leone        Prat                     4.60  2.80
 1   Fierceness          Velazquez                      3.40

Winning Time:  2:00.19

$1 Exacta  5-7                            17.30
$1 Trifecta  5-7-1                        60.20
$1 Superfecta  5-7-1-9                   207.40
$1 Super High Five  5-7-1-9-8            683.70
Results chart

Left: Forever Young heads to the winner's circle. Winning jockey Ryusei Sakai said, "Obviously the horse had a really great order for condition side, so automatically the horse took me there. Last two years the experience really helpful for Forever Young, how to ride. Obviously he's a little bit not too good at that turn, a little bit of speed down. So this time we did a lot of practice for that. Then he really did handle well, yes, and he got turned fit to go."

Right: Forever Young arrives at the unsaddling area.

Left: Forever Young in the post parade. Winning trainer Yoshito Yahagi said, "Obviously a horse is not a machine. Even trainer made order to plan, but normally the horse cannot go through with this plan. Obviously, Forever Young made my plan to go through everything. We plan to go to Saudi maybe next year, which he will be -- last year will be next year. I like to challenge all over the world big races too, and I'd like to win all of it."

Right: Forever Young returns after the race as jockey Ryusei Sakai acknowledges the cheering crowd.

Left: Second place finisher Sierra Leone in the post parade. Trainer Chad Brown said, "Huge run. Look, the winner ran a terrific race. He was up on the pace and kicked. I think the track played against us today. Not to take anything away from the winner, but it's been speed all day. I'm so proud of my horse's effort. So courageous to run against the bias and nearly get there. Listen, him and Forever Young are closely related and they've had a wonderful rivalry from the Derby on and today it was Forever Young's day to find the winner's circle and hats off to them. They've really done a good job of bringing this horse back and he really fought on. Even though the track played against us, Flavien (Prat) thought he had him measured and Forever Young just found a little more late. A deserving winner."  

Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Fierceness in the post parade. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "(Fierceness) was in a difficult position. He's inside of the pacemaker, so you either have to commit to try to make the lead and have a pacemaker pushing you or try to settle into a spot. He settled into a comfortable spot. He seemed like he was handling it pretty well. Johnny said the Japanese horse was kind of pushing him around around the far turn. He finally, finally got clear when some horses went on the outside. He got a decent run at him. It wasn't an ideal scenario, but when we drew the one-hole we knew that it kind of handcuffed us a bit. That's just kind of the way it worked out." 


Shortly after the start of the Classic with eventual 9th place finisher Contrary Thinking (4) in the lead. Jockey Florent Geroux said, “All I wanted to do is make it fair for everyone, make sure we didn’t disturb anyone, but (stablemate) Sierra Leone just couldn’t get there.” 

Photos courtesy of Amber Chalfin of Downthestretchphotos.com.

Saturday Results Summary (dirt)  -  Saturday Results Summary (turf)  -  F&M Sprint -  Turf Sprint -  Dirt Mile -  F&M Turf -  Sprint -  Mile -  Distaff -  Turf -  Classic
Friday Results Summary -  Juvenile Turf Sprint -  Juvenile Fillies Turf -  Juvenile Fillies -  Juvenile Turf -  Juvenile  
Entries   -   Wrap Up   -   Wednesday Works   -   Thursday Works

Breeders' Cup quick links:

Back to Horse-Races.Net main page

Search Horse-Races.Net:


©1994-2025,  Cindy Pierson Dulay   Privacy Policy   About Us   Search   Site Map   Add a Link   Advertise   Suggest to a friend   RSS Feed   Follow on Twitter