Forever Young or another challenger? Here's why every horse can win Friday's Jockey Club Gold Cup

The 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup, scheduled for Friday, features the New York debut of Forever Young, the 2025 Breeders' Cup Classic winner ridden by Ryusei Sakai at Del Mar on November 1, 2025. The article, published September 15, 2026, analyzes the field and argues that multiple horses have a legitimate chance of defeating the champion. Forever Young enters as the headline contender but faces a competitive field in what is expected to be a compelling race.