Hughes caps undefeated campaign in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1)

Hughes secured champion 2-year-old male honors with his terrific performance in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland, winning by 2 ¼-lengths over American History, with stablemate Salahudin a gallant third, just a head behind the runner-up.

For his trainer Bob Baffert, Hughes is the 22^nd overall Breeders’ Cup winner and a record seventh Juvenile winner.

Hughes perfect record going into Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile contest included victories in the American Pharoah S. (G1), Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Best Pal S. (G3). Hughes broke very well and found himself in a speed duel with Damavand through the first half-mile in a quick :46.65. Soon after, Damavand began to fade, with Coach Pope surging quickly to take a short lead into the final turn.

Hughes fought back to take the top spot at the top of the stretch, when both American History and Sahaludin mounting serious challenges. Despite everything thrown at him, Hughes kept finding more and came under the wire in 1:42.27.

“You never know how they’re going to respond until they… today at the quarter pole, I thought, ‘Well, we’re going to find out what he’s made of,’” Baffert said. “When a horse came to him, he just caught another gear. You like to see that. Sometimes, they’ll come to him–especially when they’re going that fast on this racetrack–like I said, he does it, and he does it with ease. He comes back like it didn’t take much out of him. He’s just a really superior 2-year-old.”

Hughes, a son of Into Mischief, was a $675,000 Keeneland September yearling and is owned by the partnership of Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.

Hughes was named after New Jersey Devils hockey star Jack Hughes, who famously scored the game-winning goal in sudden-death overtime to beat Canada 2-1 in the Gold Medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

With five wins in as many starts, Hughes has earned $1,520,000.