DEL MAR — The horse from far away had come so close before, a Japanese star inches and then yards from achieving American royalty.

Saturday, finally, Forever Young got there.

After finishing an excruciatingly hard-fought third in the Kentucky Derby and third again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year, the 4-year-old colt bred and trained in Hokkaido broke through and won with jockey Ryusei Sakai in the $7 million Classic at Del Mar on Saturday, defeating horses who had frustrated his handlers’ ambitions in the past.

The biggest victory ever by a horse from Japan on U.S. soil set off a loud celebration by Forever Young’s connections, supporters and others in the crowd of 35,173 who enjoyed a $9 payoff per $2 bet to win.

“Forever Young is an amazing horse,” trainer Yoshito Yahagi, thri

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