Unbeaten GI winner Hughes gets distance test in Saturday’s Grade I American Pharoah Stakes

Hughes in the Del Mar Futurity, Benoit Photo

Santa Anita Park Press

ARCADIA, CA —Unbeaten Grade I winner Hughes will be tested around two turns for the first time Saturday in the Grade I, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita Park. As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the winner of the American Pharoah earns a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30 at Keeneland Race Course.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Hughes improved to 3-for-3 last month when rolling to a 4 ¾ length win in the GI Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs. The colt by Into Mischief previously won the GIII Best Pal going six furlongs at Del Mar. Purchased for $675,000 at the 2025 Keeneland September yearling sale, Hughes is owned by Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et al. Jockey Juan Hernandez, who rode Hughes in both the Del Mar Futurity and Best Pal, again has the call.

Also exiting the Del Mar Futurity is Dang Son, a colt by Good Magic who finished third in his stakes debut. A $250,000 auction buy as a yearling, Dang Son is trained by Doug O’Neill for owner Calumet Farm. Prior to the Futurity, he broke his maiden going one mile on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 15. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo will ride Dang Son.

Baffert’s other entrants are impressive debut winner Imperial Honor, Domus and Emancipate. All four of the Hall of Fame trainer’s entrants are for different owners.

Imperial Honor flashed serious talent in his first start on Sept. 7 at Del Mar going 5 ½ furlongs when romping on the front-end by 5 ¼ lengths. A colt by Honor A.P., Imperial Honor was purchased for $725,000 at the OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training sale by owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. He’ll be ridden by Hall of Famer Joel Rosario.

Domus, a colt by Uncle Mo, won his debut at Del Mar in July at Del Mar then was fourth in the Del Mar Futurity. He is campaigned by breeder Baoma. Corp. Domus will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.

Emancipate, a homebred for Cicero Farm, broke his maiden in his second start going six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 29. Also by the late Uncle Mo, Emancipate will have a Hall of Famer in the irons as Mike Smith jumps aboard for the first time.

The American Pharoah is an official stop on the Road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby with qualifying points on the line.

THE GRADE I AMERICAN PHAROAH WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 – Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Dang Son—Emisael Jaramillo—122
2. Hughes—Juan Hernandez—122
3. Net Par—Victor Espinoza—122
4. Imperial Honor—Joel Rosario—122
5. Emancipate—Mike Smith—122
6. Domus—Kazushi Kimura–122