Hughes, Emphatic, European grass runners dominate Breeders' Cup
The Bob Baffert trainee earned $1.04 million and moved to 5-0, strengthening his case as an early Kentucky Derby contender.
- On Friday at Keeneland, unbeaten colt Hughes won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile, extending his record to five consecutive victories under Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
- Named for United States Olympics hockey star Jack Hughes, the colt represents Baffert's bid to win the Kentucky Derby with a Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion—a feat the Hall of Famer has never accomplished.
- Jockey Flavien Prat guided Hughes to a 2 1/4-length victory over American History, fending off early pace pressure. Prat said the horse is "for sure one of the top contenders, if not the best one."
- The convincing performance likely secures an Eclipse Award for Hughes with his fifth win, while his resilience against Coach Pope in the stretch signals he may dominate at both 2 and 3 years old.
- Any conversation about the early favorite for the 2027 Kentucky Derby starts in Baffert's barn, though Hughes faces competition from U.S.S. Valor, who skipped the Juvenile to prepare exclusively for the Derby.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Unbeaten Hughes pulls away to win $2M Juvenile for Baffert
Unbeaten favorite Hughes established himself as an early Kentucky Derby favorite by taking control through the far turn and pulling away for a 2 1/4-length victory over American History in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.
Hughes wins Breeders' Cup Juvenile, establishes himself as early Kentucky Derby favorite
Unbeaten favorite Hughes established himself as an early Kentucky Derby favorite by taking control through the far turn and pulling away for a 2 1/4-length victory over American History in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.
Hughes wins Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, establishes himself as early Kentucky Derby favorite
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Unbeaten favorite Hughes established himself as an early Kentucky Derby favorite by taking control through the far turn and pulling away for a 2 1/4-length victory over American History in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile…
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