Hughes is in. American History is in. U.S.S. Valor is out.
After a high-stakes trio of Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In'' races, the field for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) is coming into focus.
Unbeaten Hughes ran his winning streak to four with an emphatic six-length victory over Net Par in the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita on Saturday.
The victory sets up Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with the likely betting favorite for the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Oct. 30 – a race he's won a record six times, most recently with Citizen Bull in 2024.
Hughes has won his four starts by a combined 25 ½ lengths.
"He fits well in the Breeders’ Cup now, so hopefully we can get him there healthy,'' Baffert said.
American History upset Coach Pope in the $650,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday and gives Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a chance to add to his five Breeders’ Cup Juvenile wins, which include last year's winner Ted Noffey.
And at Belmont Park on Saturday, heavy favorite U.S.S. Valor rolled to a 6 ½-length victory over Gaudreau in the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1), but owner Team Valor's Barry Irwin said his colt will bypass the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Among the reasons? BC Juvenile winners don't fare well six months later in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Only two of the 42 BC Juvenile winners have gone on to capture the Derby, Street Sense in 2007 and Nyquist in 2016.
All three races also awarded Derby qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 on a sliding scale to the top five finishers.
The races also produced a few more probables for the BC Juvenile, a race that often decides the 2-year-old male champion and elevates the winner to early Derby favorite status.
The BC Juvenile is Friday, Oct. 30, with a post time of 4:55 p.m. ET. Pre-entries are announced Oct. 21, and the final draw is Oct. 26.
Here's a look at the contenders:
Hughes ($2.60), already a two-time Grade 1 winner, handled the 1 1/16 miles with ease under Juan Hernandez and will go for five in a row at the same distance in the Juvenile.
“He came out of the race in great shape. Now it’s off to the Breeders’ Cup,” Baffert's longtime assistant, Jimmy Barnes, said.
Domus (18-1), who ran fourth for Baffert in the race, is possible for the Juvenile.
Coach Pope, beaten a length by the fast-closing American History, also is likely for the BC Juvenile, along with third-place finisher Q B Rocket.
Trainer Kenny McPeek was fine with Coach Pope's effort.
"He held off the one he was up against [Q B Rocket], and then he got run down [by American History],'' McPeek said. "He will get a lot out of this race and move forward.
"He shows he fits, and he’s an exciting colt to be around ... He’ll come back in the Breeders’ Cup if he’s OK.”
As for American History, Pletcher said: "We always felt that more distance and two turns were what he was looking for [his first race was a win at 6 ½ furlongs]. "Throw in that he got a Grade 1 win Saturday and it was that much better."
John Velazquez was aboard American History
"My horse has one stride — kind of keeps coming, coming and coming — and that’s the way he did it,'' the Hall of Fame jockey said. "He’s still learning. He’s a big boy. We’re very happy things turned out the way they did.”
Q B Rocket, trained by Brad Cox, was 1 ¼ length behind the winner, and is possible for the Juvenile.
U.S.S. Valor ($2.74), trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, will get time off after racking up two impressive victories following a career-debut third, with the plan being to get him to the Derby on the first Saturday in May. Manny Franco was aboard Saturday.
Gaudreau, who finished a distant second, remains possible for the Juvenile as well as third-place finisher Club Reign.
Also listed contenders included Phone Booth, sixth in the Breeders' Futurity after running second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) to Hughes on Sept. 6; Mystrix, a maiden who ran second in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 6; Dang Son, sixth in the American Pharoah; Salahudin, 3-for-3 for Baffert with a win in the Iroquois Stakes (G3); He Is No Lie, a maiden winner who finished second in the Iroquois on Sept. 12; and Full Access, 2-for-2 for trainer Riley Mott but a huge step to move into this company.
$250,000 Vosburgh Stakes -- T Kraft ($13.88), (Breeders’ Cup Sprint)
$500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes -- Kathynmarissa ($4.88), (Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf)
$650,000 Darley Alcibiades -- Emphatic ($3.39), (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies)
$400,000 Jessamine Stakes -- Serenas Ghost ($47.44), (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf)
$400,000 Phoenix Stakes-- Nakatomi ($3.42), (Breeders’ Cup Sprint)
$500,000 Champagne Stakes -- U.S.S. Valor ($2.74), (BC Juvenile)
$200,000 Futurity Stakes -- Good to Be King ($5.16), (BC Juvenile Turf Sprint)
$250,000 Miss Grillo Stakes -- Domestic Agenda ($3.94), (BC Juvenile Fillies Turf)
$250,000 Pilgrim Stakes -- Let Em Know ($27.38), (BC Juvenile Turf)
$650,000 Breeders’ Futurity -- American History ($12), (BC Juvenile)
$1.25 million Coolmore Turf Mile -- Rhetorical ($5.72), 9BC Mile)
$400,000 Thoroughbred Club of America -- Evanesence ($7.98), (BC Filly & Mare Sprint)
$300,000 American Pharoah Stakes -- Hughes ($2.60), (BC Juvenile)
$200,000 Oak Leaf Stakes -- Domain Expansion ($31), BC Juvenile Fillies
$200,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes --Thought Process ($3.60), (BC Filly & Mare Turf
$650,000 Spinster Stakes: Fully Subscribed ($3.08), (Breeders’ Cup Distaff)
$400,000 Bourbon Stakes: Agate ($3.64), (BC Juvenile Turf)
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
