Forever Young Experiences Fever But Stays on Course for BC Classic

Forever Young, a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and a Royal Steel colt, has not raced since finishing a close third in the Kentucky Derby. The 3-year-old recently developed a high fever during a workout in Japan, but his trainer remains optimistic about his upcoming preparations.

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi informed Umatoku, a Japanese racing website, that the colt's elevated temperature could be attributed to the sweltering 90-degree weather at the Ritto training centre near Osaka.

"On Sunday, we’ll conduct a brief workout, followed by a more intensive session intended to be his last prep," Yahagi said. "He experienced a fever midway through Wednesday's workout, which caused a delay, but that’s to be expected in this heat. He’s progressing well, and I believe he’s in excellent condition."

During the workout, Forever Young was paired with the 4-year-old Libyan Glass. Jockey Ryusei Sakai kept a firm hold on him, and the colt clocked 1:21.4 for six furlongs on wood chips, finishing the last sixteenth of a mile in 11.5 seconds.

Undefeated in five starts in Japan, Forever Young is set to compete next Wednesday at Ohi in the Japan Dirt Classic, a prestigious event within the National Association of Racing. He will face off against Ramjet, who is currently on a four-race winning streak.

Forever Young remains focused on the Breeders’ Cup Classic scheduled for November 2 at Del Mar.