There have now been 43 runnings of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), and for more than four decades, the race has showcased some dazzling 2-year-olds and crowned the division champion 34 times.
But then, in the spring, when the Kentucky Derby (G1) rolls around on the first Saturday in May and precocious 2-year-olds turn into maturing 3-year-olds, the Juvenile winner is usually an afterthought.
Only two winners of the race (Street Sense in 2006 and Nyquist in 2015) have been able to win the Juvenile and then the Kentucky Derby.
It's called the "Juvenile Jinx" and this year one of the best 2-year-olds, grade 1-winning U. S. S. Valor, skipped the Breeders' Cup to focus on winning the Kentucky Derby.
But interestingly, when Nyquist pulled off his double, the Juvenile was contested at Keeneland.
Why would that be interesting?
Because on Oct. 30 at Keeneland, Hughes added his name to the list of dazzling 2-year-olds and the likely champions who have starred in the Breeders' Cup's Future Stars Friday centerpiece stakes.
He was simply too good on a gorgeous day in Bluegrass country as he fended off early pace pressure, then motored away in the stretch to win the mile-and-a-sixteenth, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile convincingly by 2 1/4 lengths.
In doing so, not only did Hughes almost certainly wrap up an Eclipse Award with his fifth win in as many starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert—three of them in grade 1 company—but the way he faced a tough challenge for the first time and swatted it away gave off loud signals that perhaps he might be that rare Thoroughbred who can be dominant at 2 and 3.
And maybe beyond.
"He's a superior 2-year-old," said Front Row Club's Tom Ryan, the managing partner of the colt's large ownership group. "This is the pinnacle of 2-year-old racing and he has never let us down.
"He's a horse who can be equally good at 3. He's a mentally tough horse with gears. He's won five races, but he has relatively low mileage on him. This was the first time he was challenged. Now he'll get plenty of time to get ready for next year. We'll see what pathway Bob takes with him to get to the Derby, but I'd like to think he's a horse who can win the Juvenile and the Derby."
So far, no one in his crop has been able to check Hughes, who was primarily named for New Jersey Devils and United States Olympics gold-medal-winning hockey star Jack Hughes. In his four previous starts, Hughes proved best by a combined 24 1/2 lengths.
The margin was significantly smaller this time, but the competition was significantly tougher with grade 1 winner American History, grade 3-winning stablemate Salahudin, and grade 1-placed Coach Pope in the field of six.
"At the quarter pole," Baffert said after the son of Into Mischief battled with Damavand and Coach Pope through 6 furlongs in a quick 1:10.86, "I said 'We'll find out what's inside of him."
The answer was poignantly delivered in a manner as smooth as Jack Hughes gliding over the ice. The four-legged Hughes and jockey Flavien Prat brushed off the early pressure and lengthened their lead in the final furlong from a length to 2 1/4 lengths over American History at the wire.
"It was a spectacular performance and I am so glad it happened at the Breeders' Cup," said Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Stables, part of "The Avengers" ownership group that also includes Front Row Club, Jack Wolf's Starlight Racing, Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables (which includes New York Mets owner Steve Cohen), Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
Hughes was a deserving 4-5 favorite ($3.64) on a chalky opening day at the Breeders' Cup, with WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC's American History the 7-2 second choice off a win four weeks earlier at Keeneland in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Hughes broke cleanly from post 3 and Prat used his colt's speed to race alongside 13-1 shot Damavand through fractions of :23.36 and :46.65, with Breeders' Futurity runner-up Coach Pope less than a length behind in third.
Turning for home, Hughes and Prat put away their early rivals and braced for a challenge ... that never materialized.
As Hughes widened his lead and crossed the wire in 1:42.27, American History and Salahudin battled for second, with American History taking runner-up honors by a head.
It was another 3 3/4 lengths back to Coach Pope, who is named for University of Kentucky men's basketball coach Mark Pope.
Speaking of the Kentucky Derby, as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, 30-15-9-6-3 points were awarded to the top five finishers.
Hughes now has 40 points, which is often enough to run in the Kentucky Derby. American History has 25, Salahudin 19, and Coach Pope 11.
It was also a record seventh Breeders' Cup Juvenile win for Baffert, this time with a horse who has him at the center of louder-than-normal Kentucky Derby conversations.
"The one that wins now is special," Baffert said. "We felt pretty good about him."
Baffert added that Hughes will prepare for his 3-year-old season with him at Santa Anita Park.
Pletcher was quite pleased with American History's performance, especially after encountering trouble early in the race.
"(Jockey John Velazquez) said he had a pretty rough trip around the first turn, even clipped heels a couple times," Pletcher said about the son of Constitution . "When he got him back and out in the clear he regrouped and came on a little bit. But Johnny said the first turn was pretty rough. The horse was trying to lean on him in the middle of the (second) turn and Johnny was trying to hold him in, but I thought more significant was the (trouble in) the first turn. He got beat by the favorite, who ran a great race, and I think American History ran great, too. Could he have been closer with a better trip around the first turn? Who knows?"
Baffert said he was looking forward to even longer races for Zedan Racing Stables' Salahudin, a son of Uncle Mo.
"I think Salahudin ran well. I thought turning for home he would get a big piece of it, but down the road, as they go farther, he'll be fine," Baffert said.
Hughes was bred by Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke and his wife, Rhonda, at their Breffni Farm in Kentucky out of the Union Rags mare K P Dreamin. He is her third foal and first stakes winner. She also has a 2-year-old Elite Power colt named Grip It and Rip It and a 2026 McKinzie colt.
The undefeated Hughes was bought for $675,000 at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and now has earnings of $1.52 million.
