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 Jockey Ryusei Sakai celebrates aboard Forever Young as they head to the winner's circle after the 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup Photos courtesy of Amber Chalfin of Downthestretchphotos.com. |
Date: 09/18/2026
The traditional highlight of the Belmont Park fall meeting is the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic, contested at the Classic distance of 1 1/4 miles on the main track. After being run at Saratoga during Belmont Park's redevelopment, the race returned home and was run on Friday, the first day of racing at "new" Belmont. Conditions were typical for mid-September, with cloudy skies, temperatures in the low 80's, a fast main track and the turf courses firm. Just 7 horses made final entry but after 3 scratches just 4 went to post with Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Saudi Cup (G1) winner Forever Young sent off as the 2-5 favorite, unraced since finishing second in the Dubai World Cup (G1). In to challenge him were 3-1 second choice Baeza, 4th in the Whitney (G1) after finishing 2nd in the Stephen Foster (G1), 7-2 third choice Phileas Fogg, winner of the Suburban (G2), and 16-1 longest shot Stars and Stripes, 3rd in the Birdstone Stakes after finishing 8th in the Suburban. Due to the small field there were no show, trifecta, nor superfecta pools.
 Forever Young draws away from Stars and Stripes in the stretch. |
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche sent Phileas Fogg to the lead out of the clubhouse turn through fractions of 25.04, 48.34, and 1:11.96 while pressed by Forever Young and stalked by Stars and Stripes. Turning for home Phileas Fogg tired as Forever Young, wide throughout, swept to the lead through 1 mile in 1:36.03. Kept to task by Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths over Stars and Stripes in 2:01.23. It was a long 4 3/4 lengths back to Baeza third, and 6 3/4 more to pacesetter Phileas Fogg last.
# Horse Jockey Win Place Show 7 Forever Young Sakai 2.96 2.10 ---- 2 Stars and Stripes Velazquez 5.76 ---- 1 Baeza Alvarado ---- Winning Time: 2:01.23 $1 Exacta 7-2 11.47Results Chart |
Left: Forever Young heads to the winner's circle. Winning trainer Yoshito Yahagi said, "Obviously, we won this race, that of course I'm 100 percent satisfied by that. Forever Young, performance-wise, I'm not happy; 50 percent satisfied how he performed today. Physically, we think fitness is 80 percent, but inside for lungs or these things performance-wise, it wasn't enough for me."
Right: The connections in a press conference after the race with trainer Yoshito Yahagi (center) and jockey Ryusei Sakai (right). Yahagi added “I’d like to say thanks to Belmont Park to support us and we are really glad to have won the Opening Day Jockey Club Gold Cup. That’s a special memory, our day. This achievement is great for us. Obviously, at the race side, I’m not satisfied with how he ran today. You know he had a big spell [time off], but we will target the Breeders’ Cup next.”
Left: Forever Young in the paddock before the race. Yahagi said, “You know Belmont Park complex has a great society and good for training, so we will try to stay until October 20th. Then we will fly from here to Keeneland on October 20th, so we will prepare here. Of course, Belmont Park racetrack is amazing, but today I just felt ground was a little heavy. Normally when we travel all over the world, we felt a little away, but when we come to America, always American people welcome our horse and we feel really warm from everybody, like we came back home, and appreciate that.”
Right: Forever Young in the post parade.
Left: Forever Young returns after the race. Winning jockey Ryusei Sakai said, “He doesn’t have any problems with a slow pace, but I wish we had a quicker pace to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup. He had a good response at the top stretch, because the pace was not quick enough. When I asked him, he responded well."
Right: Forever Young in his winner's blanket. Sakai added, “How he breezed, I was very satisfied. He had a six-month spell, but we have to think about how much he can improve for the next race.”
Left: Second place finisher Stars and Stripes heads out of the paddock before the race. Trainer Bill Mott said, "I was really pleased with his race. I think he showed up big time yesterday. No way he was going to outrun Forever Young, but he showed up. He beat the other ones in the race and had to run hard to do that. He had a good payday, a second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, I guess that's no disgrace." Jockey John Velazquez added, "It was a great effort overall. He ran really good. He gave me everything he could. He can run; I asked him for more and he gave it to me. The winner was just the best. We asked our horse to run his best, and he did."
Right: Third place finisher Baeza in the post parade. Trainer Bill Mott said, "No excuses. Junior (Alvarado) had no horse under him. The horse was never taking him anywhere. He might have broke a little better, but he [Alvarado] said he was never really into the bridle."
Left: The new walking ring at the rebuilt Belmont Park on opening day. Trainer Shug McGaughey, who won the first race at new Belmont said, "Belmont is my favorite place. I waited three years and to come back and win like this, it’s pretty special. I told them I don’t get in the [winner’s circle] photos, but I’ll get in this one. It’s Belmont Park."
Right: The walking ring and paddock view from the grandstand side. McGaughey added, “I think it’s a beautiful place. It’s different than what I expected. We just need to get the kinks out and get the people in it and it’ll be really special. I think it’s going to be great when everything gets settled in. I’m really excited about it and I think the track is great. I like the turf but I’ve been training on the main track [too] and it’s been great. The turf courses look great. We’ll see how it holds up, but I think it’s a great course. I’m just excited about the whole thing.”
Left: The new grandstand at Belmont Park viewed from the picnic area behind the building. NYRA President and CEO David O'Rourke said, “Today marked the beginning of an exciting new era for Belmont Park. We thank all the fans who returned to Belmont today to witness history, and we can't wait for all that is to come at the new Belmont Park." Jockey Antonio Fresu, who won the opening race with his first ride at Belmont added, “It’s an amazing feeling to be part of this historical track and historic reopening of Belmont Park. It seems to be doing a tremendous job – the track is fantastic; the grandstand looks fantastic and all the facilities. I’m really happy to be part of it. This is top class.”
Right: Ribbon cutting ceremony on opening day. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “It’s an extraordinary time for racing fans from around the globe as we welcome them back to Belmont Park for the first time in three years. Here on Long Island, the new Belmont Park is a state-of-the-art, world-class facility with brand new fan amenities and huge expansions in accessible green space. And the improvements go far beyond the grandstand, with four brand new racing surfaces that will host not just the return of the Belmont Stakes and the 2027 Breeders’ Cup, but year-round racing for the first time in the history of this iconic track.”
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