Breeders Cup 2025 results: Forever Young wins the Classic as Del Mar crowns a global cast of champions

The 42nd Breeders’ Cup World Championships delivered a blockbuster finish at Del Mar, with Forever Young surging late to win the $7 million Classic and cap a two-day festival that mixed upsets, star power, and a family milestone for the O’Briens. Here’s what happened, who won, and why it mattered.

Headline results (Saturday championship card)

• Classic (G1, 1¼m, dirt): Forever Young (JPN) outkicked Sierra Leone, with Fierceness third. A breakthrough Classic for Japan and a third Cup win for trainer Yoshito Yahagi at Del Mar.

• Turf (G1, 1½m): Ethical Diamond (IRE) sprang a major upset over two-time winner Rebel’s Romance, with El Cordobes third—stopping the clock in a swift time and flipping the script on deep European form.

• Mile (G1, turf): Notable Speech (GB) threaded through on the rail and powered clear, giving his connections another transatlantic Mile trophy.

• Distaff (G1, 1⅛m, dirt): Scylla separated in upper stretch and never looked back to secure the season-defining title for older fillies and mares.

• Dirt Mile (G1): Nysos justified heavy favoritism, controlling from the jump to beat stablemate Citizen Bull.

• Sprint (G1, 6f): Bentornato finished with a flourish to take the speed crown.

• Filly & Mare Sprint (G1, 7f): Splendora—perfect at Del Mar—pounced off the turn and drew off.

• Turf Sprint (G1, 5f): Shisospicy blasted from the gates and never came back, wiring a fast field.

Friday’s juvenile showcase: new stars and a record

• Juvenile (G1, dirt): Ted Noffey muscled home and vaulted to the top of Derby watch lists.

• Juvenile Fillies (G1, dirt): Super Corredora stamped authority in a strong renewal.

• Juvenile Turf (G1): Gstaad’s victory delivered a record 21st Breeders’ Cup win for trainer Aidan O’Brien, moving him past D. Wayne Lukas on the all-time list.

• Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1): Balantina gave Donnacha O’Brien his first Breeders’ Cup win as a trainer—making it a multi-generation weekend for the family.

• Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1): Cy Fair blasted home to start the meet with a U.S. strike.

Five storylines that defined Del Mar 2025

1) A Classic breakthrough for Japan

Forever Young sat closer than usual, pounced at the right moment, and outstayed last year’s winner Sierra Leone. The win cements Japan’s modern Cup era: near-misses turned into a marquee triumph in the meet’s signature race.

2) The Turf shocker—and a course stamp

Ethical Diamond’s sustained run from the back mowed down proven stayers, a reminder that Del Mar’s firm ground rewards acceleration and timing. Beating a dual Turf winner in full flight underscores the upset’s quality.

3) Mile mastery on the hedge

Notable Speech saved every inch, then showed a decisive turn of foot. On tight American turns, rail discipline often makes the difference; the Mile again favored courage and traffic handling as much as raw speed.

4) Dirt dominance where it counted

Scylla turned the Distaff into a one-horse stretch run, while Nysos took the Dirt Mile gate-to-wire. Add Bentornato in the Sprint, and the dirt titles showcased pace control and finish—two traits that travel to winter Grade 1s.

5) O’Brien family milestone

Friday belonged to Ballydoyle and its branches: Gstaad put Aidan O’Brien atop the all-time Cup wins list, and Balantina handed son Donnacha his first Cup trophy. It was a neat snapshot of a dynasty evolving in real time.

Full winners list (by race)

• Classic: Forever Young

• Turf: Ethical Diamond (IRE)

• Mile: Notable Speech (GB)

• Distaff: Scylla

• Dirt Mile: Nysos

• Sprint: Bentornato

• Filly & Mare Sprint: Splendora

• Turf Sprint: Shisospicy

• Juvenile: Ted Noffey

• Juvenile Fillies: Super Corredora

• Juvenile Turf: Gstaad (IRE)

• Juvenile Fillies Turf: Balantina

• Juvenile Turf Sprint: Cy Fair

(Filly & Mare Turf note: Run as the late-night closer; final chart showed Mission of Joy edging a tight finish over Stellify after a grinding 1m3f—an upset that capped the meet’s theme of late-charging turf surprises.)

What it means heading into winter

• Classic alumni: Expect Forever Young, Sierra Leone, and Fierceness to anchor global Horse of the Year debates and drive early-season market talk for Saudi/ Dubai targets.

• Turf pecking order: The Ethical Diamond–Rebel’s Romance result resets the long-distance turf hierarchy; spring arcs in Europe and the Middle East just got more interesting.

• Divisional leaders: Scylla grabs older-female dirt honors; Nysos reasserts one-turn/two-turn versatility at a mile; Shisospicy headlines the 5f speed set.

• Three-year-olds: Ted Noffey exits Del Mar as the most exciting U.S. juvenile colt, with winter preps now in sharp focus.

Del Mar takeaway

Fast turf, fair dirt, and a coastal course that punishes hesitation—Del Mar produced decisive, watchable finishes and a champion’s roll that will echo through winter. From a Japanese Classic to an Irish Turf ambush and a record-making juvenile Friday, Breeders’ Cup 2025 was the kind of international sampler the event promises at its best: form validated, form overturned, and new storylines launched in the space of 24 hours.