Hughes is pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile 2026 at Keeneland on Friday, Oct. 30. The unbeaten Bob Baffert trainee won the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) by six lengths to earn a fees-paid berth. The race is part of Future Stars Friday at Breeders' Cup 2026.
The unbeaten leader of the division off two Grade 1 wins.
| Hughes at a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Trainer / Jockey | Bob Baffert / Juan Hernandez (regular rider) |
| Owner | 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 |
| Pedigree | Into Mischief – KP Dreamin |
| Earnings | $480,000 |
| Last Race | 1st American Pharoah Stakes (G1), Santa Anita, Oct. 3 |
| Last Workout | TBA |
| How Qualified | Won the American Pharoah Stakes (G1), a Breeders' Cup Challenge Win and You're In race |
| Race | Breeders' Cup Juvenile — 1 1/16 miles, dirt, $2 million |
Get up to $1,000 Sign Up Cash Bonus - for your first deposit with BUSR, you'll get an additional 20% bonus to your deposit absolutely free. Plus, earn a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers.
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile 2026 Key Dates | |
|---|---|
| Pre-Entries Closed | Monday, Oct. 19, 12:00 PM ET |
| Pre-Entries Announced | Wednesday, Oct. 21 |
| Post Position Draw | Monday, Oct. 26, 5:00 PM ET, Keeneland Sales Pavilion |
| Morning Line | TBA (set at the draw) |
| Post Position | TBA |
| Juvenile Post Time | Friday, Oct. 30, 4:55 PM ET (Race 9) |
Follow the full field on our Breeders' Cup pre-entries and contenders page, and the race-by-race card on the Breeders' Cup schedule.
| Hughes: Last 3 Starts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Race | Track | Dist | Finish |
| 10/03/26 | American Pharoah (G1) | Santa Anita | 1 1/16m | 1st by 6 |
| 09/06/26 | Del Mar Futurity (G1) | Del Mar | 7f | 1st by 4 3/4 |
| 08/08/26 | Best Pal (G3) | Del Mar | 6f | 1st by 7 3/4 |
Source: published race results. — = not available.
Four starts, four wins by a combined 24 1/2 lengths. He stretched out from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles in the American Pharoah and won his first two-turn race by six lengths.
| Keeneland Fit | |
|---|---|
| At Keeneland | No starts |
| At 1 1/16 Miles | 1: 1-0-0 |
| On Dirt | 4: 4-0-0 |
| In the Breeders' Cup | No starts |
Hughes is the clear division leader on record and margins, and the horse the rest of the field must beat. His first trip east is the main question. Our full picks follow once the post positions and morning line are set at the Oct. 26 draw.
Main rivals among the Breeders' Cup Juvenile contenders: American History (unbeaten, won the Breeders' Futurity over this track and distance); Salahudin (unbeaten stablemate, Iroquois G3 winner); Coach Pope (narrow runner-up in the Breeders' Futurity). New to wagering? Read how to bet the Breeders' Cup, or look back at past Breeders' Cup winners.
The morning line for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile is set at the post position draw on Monday, Oct. 26. Until then, follow futures prices on our Breeders' Cup odds page.
Bob Baffert trains Hughes for 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. Juan Hernandez is his regular rider; the Breeders' Cup rider has not been confirmed.
Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 at Keeneland, as Race 9 with post time at 4:55 PM ET.
The Breeders' Cup post position draw is Monday, Oct. 26 at 5:00 PM ET at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion.
Four wins from four starts (4-0-0) and $480,000 in earnings.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
