Forever Young made many mistakes yet still won the $1.5 million Saudi Derby by a head over Book’em Danno on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.  Based in Japan, Forever Young brought a 3-for-3 record to Saudi Arabia and now heads to Dubai for the UAE Derby next month perfect in four starts. The colt, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, is nominated to the American Triple Crown and connections hope to make the Kentucky Derby. He can earn a spot in that race March 30 in the UAE Derby, which should be easier for Forever Young than the Saudi Derby.  Forever Young made his first two starts in 1 1/8-mile contests around multiple turns, and even cutting back to one mile in this third race, he had two turns around which to operate. The one-mile Saudi Derby is a one-turn race, as much a sprint as a route, and Forever Young struggled to adapt. Breaking poorly under Ryusei Sakai, Forever Young had to be ridden vigorously down the backstretch while kept toward the center of the track to avoid kickback. Sakai slotted into the four or five path behind a bit of cover through the first part of the turn but eventually wound up even wider while racing with no cover.  :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2024: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more Meanwhile, the talented New Jersey-bred gelding Book’em Danno, a one-turn horse at heart, was getting a perfect trip stalking outside and just behind the leaders while travelling sweetly under Irad Ortiz Jr. Another American horse, Bentornato, raced just ahead of him and made a move to take the lead before turning into the long, 500-meter homestretch. Book’em Danno followed that move, and with a quarter mile left to run edged to the lead, looking like a sure winner.   Forever Young spun his wheels and lost momentum into the homestretch, where he failed to ever change leads. With 300 meters remaining he began closing the gap, and with a furlong left to run, Book’em Danno wearing down, Forever Young began making serious progress. One final surge, and Forever Young collared Book’em Dannno, a tough beat for trainer Derek Ryan and Book’em Danno’s New Jersey owners, but a win under the most challenging circumstances Forever Young has faced.  “I was worried, but we finished very strongly,” said Sakai, who has ridden Forever Young in all his races. “He hasn’t fully matured but he is improving now.”  At 1 3/16 miles around two turns, the UAE Derby should suit Forever Young better than the Saudi Derby. He paid $3.50 to win as the heavy international favorite.  “Stretching out in distance is very welcome for him,” Yahagi said.  Book’em Danno finished six lengths clear of third place Bentornato, who was four lengths better than the fourth horse across the finish. Forever Young was timed in 1:36.17 for 1,600 meters, easily the Saudi Derby’s fastest clocking in the race’s brief history. Forever Young is by Real Steel out of Forever Darling, by Congrats, and we are likely to hear more from the colt in the coming months.  Remake gets up in Dirt Sprint  Japan-based horses made it 2 for 2 in Saudi Cup Thoroughbred dirt races when Remake rallied stoutly to tag Skelly in the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint.  Skelly got a favorable trip racing outside and in the clear while pressing two other pacesetters. He moved comfortably to the lead after turning for home, but Remake launched at the three sixteenths pole and stormed past Skelly in the final half-furlong, winning by 1 1/2 lengths.  Skelly’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, sent Gunite out to finish second behind Elite Power in the 2023 Dirt Sprint. Bill Mott-trained Elite Power and finished third in Saturday’s renewal with Bold Journey, who closed belatedly to get within 1 1/2 lengths of Skelly.  Five-year-old Remake finished third, beaten more than five lengths, in this race’s 2023 renewal before going on to a fifth-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen. Lesser competition in this year’s renewal of the Saudi race helped produce a breakthrough from Remake, who was ridden by Yuga Kawada.  Trained by Koichi Shintani, Remake, who paid $9, is by Lani out of the King Kamehameha mare, Sariel. He was timed in 1:10.42 for 1,200 meters, a moderate clocking given the robust times in two earlier dirt races on the card.   :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.