The 6,000 fortunate fans on hand Sept. 18 at Belmont Park were treated to everything they wanted to see.

As “Beautiful Belmont Park” reopened Sept. 18 after a three-year construction project, fans and horsemen were treated to the debut of a sparkling, more space-efficient, ultra-modern facility for enjoying racing in the 21st century.

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They also got to see one of the world’s very best Thoroughbreds do what he does so exceptionally well.

Japanese superstar Forever Young lived up to his advance billing and status as a champion and earner of more than $31 million as he captured the featured $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths on a landmark day of racing for New York and Belmont Park.

“We are really glad to win the opening-day Jockey Club Gold Cup on a special day. This achievement is great for us,” trainer Yoshito Yahagi said through a translator. “I think I will never see a horse like this again in my career or my life.”

As pleased as Yahagi might have been with being a part of a memorable day of racing after a half-billion-dollar construction project, he was a bit dour about Forever Young’s performance.

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner was making his first start since a second-place finish in the March 28 Dubai World Cup and Yahagi said he was not pleased with the 5-year-old’s performance.

Forever Young wins Jockey Club Gold Cup (Eclipse Sportswire)

“On the race side, I’m not satisfied with how he ran,” said Yahagi, who rated the son of Real Steel as 80% fit for Friday’s race. “He had the big spell [of time off] and we will target the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Of course, I am 100% satisfied with winning the race but performance-wise I am only 50% satisfied. We will try to improve for the next race.”

That next race will be the Oct. 31 Longines Classic at Keeneland, which Forever Young earned a free spot in through the Jockey Club Gold Cup being part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge series.

Yahagi said Forever Young will remain at Belmont Park until he leaves Oct. 20 for Keeneland.

The Classic could be a dandy if 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty makes it to the race. The Whitney Stakes victor and dual classic winner was targeting a showdown with Forever Young on Friday but was not entered due to a foot abscess.

“Sovereignty would have liked to be here,” trainer Bill Mott said about his Godolphin star. “He may have been able to entertain [Forever Young].”

Just three starters tried to “entertain” Forever Young and they all came up short.

Two-time Suburban Stakes winner at Friday’s 1 1/4-mile distance Phileas Fogg was the lone speed in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, but jockey Ryusei Sakai never let the speedster get away.

Phileas Fogg, an Astern gelding, led by no more than a length or two down the long backstretch through quarter-mile fractions of :25.04, :48.34, and 1:11.96. Midway on the turn, Forever Young pounced and Phileas Fogg had no answer.

Ryusei Sakai after winning aboard Forever Young (Eclipse Sportswire)

The Japanese sensation cruised to a 2 1/2-length lead in midstretch and the 2-5 favorite ($2.96) crossed the finish line in 2:01.23 for 1 1/4 miles on Belmont’s new main track.

“He doesn’t have any problem with a slow pace,” Sakai said, “but I wish he had a faster pace to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup.

As Phileas Fogg faded to last, Mott picked up second- and third-place finishes from Stars and Stripes and Baeza, respectively.

“Stars and Stripes ran well,” Mott said. “I was impressed with him. He ran hard. He ran all the way to the wire really good.”

A son of the Congrats mare Forever Darling bred by Northern Racing, Forever Young chalked up his 12th win in 16 starts and pushed his glittering earnings to $32,313,590.