Hughes remains undefeated after American Pharoah (G1) romp

Hughes dominated Saturday’s $300,000 American Pharoah S. (G1) at Santa Anita Park by six lengths under a hand ride, earning the 2-year-old Bob Baffter-trained colt a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Hughes is Baffert’s record 14^th American Pharoah winner, joining the likes of Citizen Bull, Game Winner, Lookin At Lucky and the race’s namesake.

Hughes, a TDN ‘Rising Star’ after his June 21 maiden win, was making his two-turn debut Saturday after comfortable wins in both the Best Pal S. (G3) and Del Mar Futurity (G1) over the summer.

Unhurried early, Hughes went along comfortably in third behind the pacesetting Net Par. Going into the far turn, Hughes went three-wide engage the early leader with three furlongs to go. Hughes went by him with ease and began to pull away without much urging at the top of the stretch. Widening under his own power the rest of the way, he coasted under the wire in 1:43.22 on a fast track.

“It was good schooling for him,” winning trainer Bob Baffert said. “He got behind horses and we wanted to see that. First, he was a little bit anxious, but he settled well. When we asked him to go, he went. A very respectable time here. He comes back great. I just think he’s getting better and better. Baby steps to progress in the right way. He was a little bit keen, but that’s the first time he’s ever gone two turns. He got him to settle and he shut it down, and that’s what you need. You need a horse to shut it off and he did.”

Hughes is owned by the partnership of Front Row Club LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor Racing LLC, Albaugh Family Stables, LLC, Robert Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan. He has earned $480,000 in his four wins.