In the $20 million Saudi Cup, Forever Young won by a neck over Romantic Warrior, who was making his first run on dirt. Forever Young, a dirt specialist, added the Saudi Cup to his previous victories in the Saudi Derby and UAE Derby. The two horses were far ahead of the rest of the field, with Forever Young ultimately chasing down Romantic Warrior in the stretch.

Forever Young, a son of Real Steel, is owned by Susumu Fujita and trained by Yoshito Yahagi. The victory in the Saudi Cup earned Forever Young a fees-paid trip to the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Del Mar. Yahagi is considering running Forever Young in the Dubai World Cup, aiming to win both prestigious races in a double.

Romantic Warrior, a 10-time group/graded winner on grass, was attempting to transition to dirt for the Saudi Cup. Despite finishing second, owner Peter Lau confirmed that Romantic Warrior would return to grass racing. The Saudi Cup was part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, with Forever Young earning a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.