While most American-based horses completed their Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) workouts over the weekend, Yoshito Yahagi saved his final breeze for Japanese star racehorse Forever Young for Oct. 29 at Del Mar.
Working in company with stablemate American Stage, a 30-1 outsider in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), the two were timed covering easy half-miles in :51 and :51 3/5, respectively. American Stage began the breeze 2-3 lengths ahead of Forever Young, the 7-2 joint second choice in the Classic, before the latter reeled in American Stage as they dashed around a turn. They raced together down the stretch before Forever Young inched ahead by about a neck at the wire when given a bit more rein after being under a snug hold. The two barnmates galloped out together.
The workout was not designed to be rapid three days before their races Nov. 1.
Jockey Ryusei Sakai was aboard Forever Young, as he has been for races throughout Forever Young's career.
The breeze "went very well, moved nicely, so I am very confident" in his condition, Sakai said in comments translated by Mariko Seki, the official Japanese media liaison for Breeders' Cup.
Sakai said his mount is "stronger than he was last year," an opinion shared by Yahagi, who has noted the development of the Real Steel colt's hindquarters.
Winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in February and eight other races in 12 starts, Forever Young is the leading money earner in the Classic field, having made $15,718,590 for owner Susumu Fujita. Forever Young comes off an easy victory in the Oct. 1 Nippon TV Hai in Japan.
He ran third in last year's Classic behind Sierra Leone and Fierceness . He also showed in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, nosed out by victorious Mystik Dan and runner-up Sierra Leone after bumping with that drifting rival through the stretch.
Yoshizawa Holdings' American Stage, meanwhile, is 3-for-9 with earnings of $398,546. In addition to his starts in Japan, the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief ran second in the March 1 Mahab Al Shimaal (G3) and sixth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) at Meydan Racecourse when racing in Dubai earlier this year. The colt finished second in his most recent start in the Fujinomori Stakes earlier this month in Japan. Sakai also rides him.
Yahagi became the first Japanese trainer to win a Breeders' Cup race in 2021 when he won two races at the Breeders' Cup. That year, Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine respectively scored in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) and Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).
Forever Young became his third and most recent starter last year.
The following Breeders' Cup entries breezed Wednesday:
| Horse | Track | Distance | Time | Division |
| Alice Verite | Del Mar | 5F (Dirt-Fast) | 1:01 1/5 | Distaff |
| American Stage | Del Mar | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :51 3/5 | Sprint |
| Aspect Island | Del Mar | 2F (Turf-Firm) | :23 4/5 | Juvenile Turf Sprint |
| Bucanero Fuerte | Del Mar | 2F (Turf-Firm) | :25 3/5 | Turf Sprint |
| Forever Young | Del Mar | 4F (Dirt-Fast) | :51 | Classic |
| Silawi | Del Mar | 4F (Turf-Firm) | :52 4/5 | Turf |
