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Tales from the Crib: Forever Young

Apr 24, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Forever Young as a newborn

Forever Young as a newborn (Photo by Northern Farm)

From the legendary Deep Impact to Equinox, the world’s best racehorse of 2023, Northern Farm has set a standard of excellence in Japan while scaling ever greater heights on the international stage. Both of Japan’s Breeders’ Cup winners, Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine, hailed from Northern Farm.

Katsumi Yoshida’s enterprise could achieve yet another historic breakthrough, if Northern Farm-bred Forever Young becomes the first Japanese shipper to win the Kentucky Derby (G1). The grandson of Deep Impact brings an undefeated record to Churchill Downs.

This year’s Run for the Roses has a special historical dimension, as the 150th edition. But 2024 marks milestones on the Japanese racing scene as well. The Japan Racing Association (JRA) celebrates its 70th anniversary. While the JRA’s founding set the framework for the modern Thoroughbred industry, horse racing as a whole has much deeper roots in Japanese history, going back more than a millennium to religious ceremonies.

Northern Farm observes an anniversary in 2024 itself, having been formed 30 years ago as a reorganization of the Yoshida family’s holdings. Katsumi’s father, Zenya, was the visionary who established the Shadai operation. His relentless quest to upgrade bloodstock led to a series of game-changing imports, chief among them 1989 Kentucky Derby champion Sunday Silence.

Upon Zenya’s passing in 1993, his material legacy was divided among his sons. You might say that Zenya’s spiritual legacy extends to a far wider sphere, wherever Japanese horsemen strive for the best results.

Teruya Yoshida’s portion retained the branding as Shadai Farm, breeder of recent Derby competitors Crown Pride (2022) and Derma Sotogake (2023). Katsumi launched Northern Farm from his share, and Haruya’s section became Oiwake Farm. The brothers still hold joint interests in the well-stocked Shadai Stallion Station.

Associated with the Northern Farm properties is Northern Horse Park. A celebration of all things equine, across a wide array of breeds and disciplines, the park invites you to “Open the doors of your heart to the magic of horses.”

The goal is to help visitors connect with horses through a variety of activities, from assisted horseback riding and carriage tours to the popular “Happy Pony Show” and meeting retired racehorses. One of the park’s notable fixtures is a gold statue of the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner, Fusaichi Pegasus. A show-stopping $4 million Keeneland yearling purchase by Fusao Sekiguchi, the Kentucky-bred spent his entire racing career stateside, and he stood at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in the Bluegrass.

The grand dame of Northern Horse Park is Deep Impact’s mother, Wind in Her Hair, who was recently feted at her 33rd birthday party.

Katsumi significantly expanded Northern Farm’s acreage. By continuing to source the finest bloodstock from the United States, Europe, and Australia, and nurturing the offspring at their world-class facilities, his farm has become Japan’s perennial leading breeder. Northern Farm topped the standings for a 13th consecutive year in 2023, and retains the number one spot so far in 2024.

Deep Impact, an iconic figure both on the racecourse and at stud, was a worthy heir to his sire Sunday Silence. Hero of Japan’s Triple Crown on turf in 2005, Deep Impact added more majors to his resume as an older horse, including the 2006 Japan Cup (G1) and Arima Kinen (G1) in his last two hurrahs. He’s one of a dozen winners of the Tokyo Yushun (G1), Japan’s equivalent of the Epsom Derby (G1), bred by Northern Farm – an honor roll that also features such revered names as Jungle Pocket (2001), King Kamehameha (2004), and Duramente (2015).

Northern Farm has bred four of the seven winners of Japan’s Triple Tiara, the Fillies’ Triple Crown. Gentildonna (2012) and Almond Eye (2018) are bookended by Apapane (2010) and Liberty Island (2023). Both Gentildonna and Almond Eye went on to reign twice as Japan’s Horse of the Year; both were two-time Japan Cup winners who also beat males in marquee events on Dubai World Cup night.

Thus the Northern Farm-bred runners who made Breeders’ Cup history at Del Mar in 2021, Loves Only You in the Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and Marche Lorraine in the Distaff (G1) on dirt, were just advancing a theme already in motion. U.S. racing fans might remember their precursor, Cesario, who crushed the 2005 American Oaks (G1) at its original home of Hollywood Park.

Northern Farm-breds have conquered prestigious events all over the globe, as far afield as Australia. In the 2006 Melbourne Cup (G1), Delta Blues edged Katsumi’s homebred Pop Rock in a one-two for the farm. Admire Rakti (2014) and Mer de Glace (2019) each won the Caulfield Cup (G1), and Japan’s Horse of the Year Lys Gracieux dominated males in the 2019 Cox Plate (G1).

Horses from Northern Farm have also reached the Group 1 pinnacle in Europe. Deirdre won the 2019 Nassau (G1) during one of Britain’s summer festivals, Glorious Goodwood, 20 years after Shiva struck in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at the Curragh.

Shiva was a product of Northern Farm’s relationship with the Niarchos Family, who had sent their mare, Lingerie, to visit fellow homebred Hector Protector after he was exported to Japan. The result of that mating, Shiva, would be trained in England and campaigned by the Niarchos Family.

Another sort of Niarchos connection was instrumental in the creation of Forever Young. Katsumi purchased the colt’s paternal grandmother, Niarchos-bred Loves Only Me, for $900,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale. By Storm Cat, Loves Only Me is out of Monevassia, a daughter of Mr. Prospector and Hall of Famer Miesque.

Loves Only Me proved to be an especially good match for Deep Impact, foaling Real Steel (Forever Young’s sire) and Breeders’ Cup star Loves Only You. Real Steel scored his biggest victory in the 2016 Dubai Turf (G1), the year that his famous baby sister was born. At one point under consideration for the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), Real Steel ended up concluding his career in Japan.

Loves Only You, a record-setting winner of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1) in 2019, matured into a champion in both Japan and the U.S. at the age of five. Aside from her Filly & Mare Turf crown, she defeated males in a pair of Group 1 contests in Hong Kong.

Forever Young was foaled February 24, 2021 – 10 days after Loves Only You kicked off her championship campaign with a victory in the Kyoto Kinen (G2). He too was produced by a Kentucky-bred who was added to Northern Farm’s prized broodmare collection. Forever Young’s mother, Forever Darling, was purchased privately after her gutsy win in the 2016 Santa Ynez (G2) at Santa Anita.

Forever Darling hails from the immediate family of Japanese Horse of the Year Zenno Rob Roy, whose own mother, Roamin Rachel, had been exported. Forever Darling is herself out of Zenno Rob Roy’s older half-sister, Darling My Darling, who became a noted broodmare for Debby Oxley. Another of Darling My Darling’s daughters, Heavenly Love, produced leading Derby contender Sierra Leone – a “cousin” of Forever Young.

Despite her own fine pedigree, Forever Darling initially sold for a scant $8,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She gained a little more respect at the 2015 OBS Spring Sale the following April, but didn’t sell when bidding stopped at $65,000. Forever Darling proved her worth on the racetrack.

Forever Young takes after sire Real Steel and paternal “aunt” Loves Only You, as Shingo Hashimoto, Northern Farm’s manager of international affairs, recalled.

“I do remember Forever Young when he was a foal. He was a very attractive, well-balanced foal with adequate size, and he grew very quickly.

“He does look like Real Steel,” Hashimoto added, in that he has “long legs with adequate size and big strides.

“This is also like Real Steel’s sister Loves Only You’s appearance, so I hope he will have a good performance in the Kentucky Derby.”

As a yearling, Forever Young went to Northern Horse Park for the Japan Racing Horse Association’s Select Sale. The bay colt sold for ¥98 million (about $725,926, according to jrha-selectsale.com) to Susumu Fujita. His price wasn’t close to the approximately $3.3-million sale topper, but it was well above the yearling sale’s average of $429,430.

Forever Young prior to the JRHA Select Sale

Forever Young prior to the JRHA Select Sale (Photo by Northern Farm)

Forever Young would have even more in common with sire Real Steel and Loves Only You: he now shares the same trainer in Yoshito Yahagi, who has made a habit of winning major international races. Responsible for the Breeders’ Cup double at Del Mar, Yahagi also trained the aforementioned Lys Gracieux as well as 2020 Japanese Triple Crown champion Contrail and Panthalassa, the winner of the world’s richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) on dirt in 2023.

A perfect 5-for-5 in his career, Forever Young has found a way to win in different circumstances, and on different racetracks, even when things haven’t set up ideally for him.

After a comfortable score on debut at Kyoto, he recovered from a slow start to rally in the JBC Nisai Yushun. With a more favorable trip in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, Forever Young romped by seven lengths. His performance was so impressive that he became the highest-rated dirt two-year-old ever in Japan.

But instead of staying home to earn the Japan Road invitation, Forever Young gained valuable experience internationally. He made his sophomore bow in the Saudi Derby (G3) on Saudi Cup Day. The one-turn mile was too short for him, and he made his task more difficult with a troubled start. Yet Forever Young hit top gear late and somehow got up in the final stride to preserve his unbeaten record.

The about 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night was much more to his liking, as he rolled from a few lengths off the pace to win handsomely. Forever Young wore a kind of visor that day – not blinkers or earmuffs – just something to cover his face from the kickback that has bothered him in the past. A wide draw at Meydan meant that he was in the clear anyway, but the mask should come in handy at Churchill.

Forever Young must defy the historical trends against internationally-based runners in the Derby, but master trainer Yahagi could well be the one to meet the challenge. Japan’s rising stature on the dirt scene – to mirror their longstanding turf prowess – suggests that the Kentucky Derby won’t elude them for long.

Northern Farm-breds have won both Japanese classics so far this spring, with undefeated Justin Milano taking the Satsuki Sho (G1) and Stellenbosch prevailing in the opening fillies’ classic, the Oka Sho (G1).

The best filly might be another Northern Farm product, Regaleira, who won last December’s Hopeful (G1) in stakes-record time over the boys. She was out of luck when trying males again in the Satsuki Sho, where she rattled home belatedly in sixth as the favorite. But Regaleira remains a prime candidate to add to Northern Farm’s classic laurels. Reportedly she’s forging ahead to another historic tilt versus the boys in the Tokyo Yushun, the Derby.

Forever Young is likewise a major contender in an historic venture of his own. If he can break cleanly in Derby 150, and establish decent early position with regular rider Ryusei Sakai, he has the ability to finish with a flourish.

Fans can invoke the lyrics of “Forever Young” to bless and cheer him on. Alluding to Bob Dylan, may his feet be swift and his wishes come true. And to put a twist on Rod Stewart’s version, may sunshine and happiness – and roses – surround him when he’s far from home.

With special thanks to Kate Hunter for facilitating contact with Northern Farm and to Shingo Hashimoto for comments and photos of Forever Young

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