HALLANDALE BEACH, FL, September 20, 2026 – It doesn’t happen all that often but must-see TV surety lived up to the hype last weekend.
It was great catching glimpse of the New Belmont Park between races, almost like being there. And the formful stakes -loaded card on Pennsylvania Derby Saturday, was enjoyable seeing The Puma put it all together.
But watching Forever Young outclass his three rivals and after two solid performances from the Pennsylvania Derby favorites raced very well in Parx’s premier event brought smiles to the face of this viewer.
As significant as the Jockey Club Gold Cup is to the history of Thoroughbred sport and Parx’s Derby as a meaningful contributor to racing’s glamour division, both races were intended as Breeders’ Cup preps. To that end, they did their jobs.
Obviously, there is a much better version of Forever Young than the one on display in Elmont Satterday. There were many reasons for this:
It was his first start since his Dubai World Cup placing in March. There was the surface which was holding. If you didn’t think that was the case, catch the horse-back interview. The five-year-old superstar was blowing laboriously—and I’ve never seen a jockey that winded. Ever.
Trainer Yashito Yahagi said pre-race his champion was probably about 90%. Post-race he said he was very disappointed with how he raced, shouldering some of the blame by admitting maybe it was more like 80%. He also also thought the track was heavier then he expected.
Clearly, Forever Young will be much better in Lexington. The question is how much better—and will it be good enough? All agree he should have run better, true, and I think he will. Conversely, it appeared to be a good effort to build on.
But to those who wonder if all those world-hopping mega-miles might be catching up, your question is valid and thought-provoking. Given the nature of the current Belmont surfaces. he’s in the right place to get that pak condition back.
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The Puma Joins the Three-Year-Old Elite
Maybe he’s been three since the Classics prep season began, after winning the G3 Tampa Bay Derby after which he lost a head-bob when beaten a neck in the G1 Florida Derby/
Following that highly productive Derby prep came a four-month hiatus before reappearing in the G1 Haskell–which he appeared to need–before a troubled, better-than-it-looked fourth in the mile and a quarter Travers, his first run beyond nine furlongs.
Turning back one furlong notwithstanding, I didn’t understand why blinkers were added for the G1 Pennsylvania Derby. Then I watched him run. Mea culpa, Gustavo Delgado, and perhaps Javier Caslellano, too, who might have brokered the idea.
Either way, the equipment change was extremely effective.
Of course, it didn’t require trip-handicapper genius to be impressed with a horse who loops the entire field coming second-from-last with a wide sweep off realistically modest fractions on his own after Castellano lowered his hands, but did no serious urging, not until they straightened away leaving headstretch. Castellano rode as if certain he was on the best horse.
Speaking of pace, the last three furlongs went in a race-horse 37-flat. Considering he was 5-across the track at mid-turn and was five lengths behind the leader at the time, conservatively he shaded 36+ seconds—real race-horse time. And there were several nice horses in his wake.
Is he good enough to win a Classic? Maybe, maybe not. Is he good enough to win the Dirt Mile? Yes, depending on who enters. Does he take a more conservative route, such as the Cigar Mile, and enter the Classic as a four-year-old? That’s viable, assuming good health.
The newly blinkered horse that won the Pennsylvania Derby has blossomed as a late-season sophomore sensation perhaps on his way to becoming a champion, if not now, later.
this is a live column and will be edited and updated throughout the week
8 Responses
John, do you think Bill Mott can get Sovereignty ready for a huge effort in the Classic from workouts alone?
Yes, if anyone can it’s Bill —but it depends on what the issue is. Generally, I lay horses when antibiotics and the like are involved. Just a feeling there is more to the layup story …
Interesting
For Forever Young it was a needed, profitable work out.With all that earned $$$$ in the mattress,might as well clean up 2026 for his running career and enjoy the coming very high honeymoon stud fee$ which should surpass the $ 100,000 mark x his ‘short stay’ visits. He Could be more popular than the Figaro opera character : Everyone with $$$ calling x his services, ” That’s Life” in retirement !
Çorrection: Make that stud fee at$ 4,00,000… Sorry,Duwaby and Frankel ( $ 250 K) but F,Y. will be more world Popular with the rich ladies,
Hello John,
Hope you’re doing well. I haven’t seen you since the Suffolk OTB days in the late 90’s.
Newsday has dropped the NYRA racing entries and Steve Matthews picks. Newsday did not even say why they dropped the coverage after 50 years of racing coverage. I have reached out to them with no reply. I’ll keep trying for them to respond but very disappointed with their decision.
I went to Belmont on Saturday and this was the first time I did not have the page from Newsday without the racing entries and picks (including yours before 1996).
On the way to the track I d have the DN,Newsday and Drf consensus plus ‘ Trackman’ picks.As mentioned months ago,Matthew’s picks many times were different than most others preferring horses with ‘ logical improvement’.Some what similar to Pricci s picks while at the same paper. I a way,forces the bettor to rely more on his/her ability and not just joy down other people’s picks made days in advance..Boy I remember when the NY Times would have resultd in print also the 24 hrs daily radio station would briefly tell results after the races or at least the winners..Think of the list of handicappers that we,temporarily ,followed,from J.Lee to Sisti to Harris and Pricci..Yestersay,when we wuz young..
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Dan, it’s the way of the newspaper world these days. I hear entries/results still available in the NY Post …