Eternal Young, who last year made history as the first Japanese horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is in contention for a rare repeat performance of the $34 million extravaganza at Keeneland on Saturday.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi sounded a note of confidence after having a successful five-year-old at the Lexington, Kentucky, track Wednesday in his last season for 1 1/4 miles, $7 million.
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“The horse is moving nicely,” Yahagi said. “I am very satisfied. There is no concern about the condition of the horse. He is very fresh.”
The eternal youth was installed as 2-1 morning favorite after drawing the fifth station, and Yahagi recognized that the challenge against the two-time Saudi Cup-winner and AGASO Ryusei Sakai will be somewhat different this year as they try to follow Tiznow in 2000 and 2001 as the only Classic winners to repeat.
“I think the quality of the competitors is the same as last year, but our position this year is very different from last year,” said Yahagi. “Next year we have to challenge to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But this year, I think, we are in a position where everyone is attacking us, so it is not easy enough to defend the title.”
Last year at Del Mar in Southern California, Eternal Young was coming off a victory in Japan. This year Yahagi brought the horse to the United States to win the AGASO Club Gold Cup at Bell Mountain in September.
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The eternally young Yahagi said that he has improved since his comparatively unimpressive wins and waited to challenge the reigning supreme – the winner of the 2015 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, who was forced to retire with a fever last year.
“We were looking forward to competing against him,” Yahagi said of the reigning North American horse of the year. “Being beaten means becoming America’s true champion.”
A hoof infection briefly threatened participation in this year’s Dominion Classic, but trainer Bill Mott says he’s confident the horse, who breaks from the second post with Junior Alvarado at the wire, is ready to go.
“One thing we know is if he gets a good pace at the front and wants to be in the race, he’ll come up with a good run,” said Mott.
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Mot’s other entry, Knightsbridge, could provide that pace. But another contender who was supposed to produce early speed, coached by Greatness Steve Asmussen, was pulled back Thursday after a scan revealed a problem in one of his front legs.
The field also includes Golden Tempo, who used the first step to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Battle Mountain Stakes this year, and Preakness winner Napoleon Solo.
Ethical Diamond goes for a repeat on the 1 1/2-mile, $5 million turf, one year after giving 19-time Irish champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins his first Breeders’ Cup victory.
Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, tied with Bob Baffert with a record 21 Breeders’ Cup wins, is sending two contenders: Stellar Diamond Necklace and Benvenuto Cellini.
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– Great class –
Diamond Necklace, European leader for three years this year and four-time group one winner, became the early 3-1 favorite after 12 draws.
Christophe Soumillon will be killed after Ryan Moore opted to ride Benvenuto Cellini, the winner of the Irish Derby, leading the race at 6-1 after the second straight post.
“He’s a good draw, and we think he’ll run a great race,” O’Brien said of Benvenuto Cellini.
Europe’s strong contingent on turf also includes George Scots Bay City Rollers — second in the Prix de Arce Triomphe — and Marc Tiffany.
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The Turf and Classics close on Saturday’s nine-race programme, which also sees the Charlie Appleby-trained Oration notable for a repeat in the Mile.
The action begins with “Friday’s Future Stars” and a table of five categories of two years.
Baffert is seeking his seventh victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Hughes, winner of all four of his career starts by a combined 24 1/2 lengths.
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