A Look at Hughes' Perfect Path to BC Juvenile

After displaying the same brilliance at two turns as he had exhibited in a trio of one-turn tests, the focus of this year's $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) will begin with undefeated dual grade 1 winner Hughes and his Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Baffert will be going for his seventh overall victory in the Juvenile and third since 2021 in this year's edition of the 1 1/16-mile test Oct. 30 at Keeneland. Baffert could have other runners in the race, including undefeated grade 3 winner Salahudin, but Hughes figures to garner the most attention off his four wins by a combined 24 1/2 lengths; including victories in the 7-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1) and most recently a 6-length score in his first try at two turns in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1). Campaigned by the partnership of Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan, I thought it would be interesting to compare Hughes with Baffert's six previous Juvenile winners at this point in their careers. Hughes has many similarities to Baffert's six Juvenile winners and a few differences of note. The son of seven-time leading sire Into Mischief will try to become Baffert's fourth undefeated Juvenile winner, joining Corniche, Game Winner, and Vindication. In an age where many top horses are making fewer starts, Hughes actually has more racing experience going into the Juvenile than any of Baffert's six Juvenile winners. Also, his June 21 career debut—a 6-length victory in a 5-furlong maiden special weight race at Los Alamitos Race Course—is an earlier initial start than any of the trainer's Juvenile winners. Hughes will try to follow in the footsteps of four of Baffert's six previous Juvenile winners who entered off a start in the American Pharoah (formerly named the FrontRunner and Norfolk) Stakes. Baffert's past three Juvenile winners registered clear victories in the American Pharoah: Citizen Bull, Corniche, and Game Winner. The trainer noted that in rating in third early in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah Oct. 3 at Santa Anita Park, Hughes picked up some valuable racing experience. "It was good schooling for him," 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." In the race before this year's American Pharoah Stakes, Hughes won the Del Mar Futurity by 4 3/4 lengths. The only Baffert-trained Juvenile winner to capture the Del Mar Futurity and the American Pharoah is Game Winner. Citizen Bull started in both races but finished third in the Del Mar Futurity. Midshipman also started in both races, winning the Del Mar Futurity and running second in the Norfolk. Baffert believes that Hughes is still improving. "I just think he's getting better and better. Baby steps to progress in the right way," Baffert said after the American Pharoah. "He fits well in the Breeders' Cup now, so hopefully we can get him there healthy." Baffert's first Juvenile winner, Vindication, entered off a 6-length win in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes (G3) in September 2002 at Turfway Park. This year Salahudin also would enter the Juvenile off a September grade 3 win in Kentucky, as the son of Uncle Mo captured the Iroquois Stakes (G3) Sept. 12 at Churchill Downs.