Under a confident ride by jockey Juan Hernandez, emerging 2-year-old colt Hughes circled the field on the far turn and drew away to win the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.

By Into Mischief, Kentucky-bred Hughes prevailed by six lengths in the 1 1/16-mile fixture over Net Par to improve to 4-for-4 in his young career. The win earns Hughes a fees-paid berth to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on Oct. 30 at Keeneland via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.

“Bob told me that he cut the blinkers, so there was a little less blinker, and to just get him to relax and you can do whatever you want with him,” Hernandez said. “He was right. He told me just to ride with confidence.”

Hughes settled in third and off the rail down the backstretch as Net Par showed the way through fractions of 23.37 and 46.86 seconds. On the second turn, after Net Par completed six furlongs in 1:11.22, Hughes went by that leader while racing four wide. He simply cruised to the wire. Hughes won in a time of 1:43.22 while being geared down late.

“He broke a step slow, but he relaxed really good behind horses,” Hernandez said. “It was his first time going two turns and first time running behind horses. He took it pretty well. I was loaded the whole race, I was just waiting for the quarter pole to start making my run. When I hit the quarter pole, I asked him and he took off for the wire.”

Hughes is Breeders’ Cup Bound

Hughes is owned by an extensive partnership led by Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables and Stonestreet Stables. Purchased for $675,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale. Hughes has won his four starts by a combined 25 ½ lengths. He won his debut going five furlongs at Los Alamitos in July, then won both the GIII Best Pal going six furlongs and Del Mar Futurity (G1) going seven furlongs on Sept. 6.

“It was good schooling for him,” Baffert said. “He got behind horses and we wanted to see that. First, he was a little bit anxious, but he settled well. When we asked him to go, he went. A very respectable time here. He came back great. I just think he’s getting better and better. Baby steps to progress in the right way. He was a little bit keen, but that’s the first time he’s ever gone two turns. He got him to settle and he shut it down, and that’s what you need. You need a horse to shut it off and he did. He fits well in the Breeders’ Cup now, so hopefully we can get him there healthy.”

With the win, Hughes also earned 10 qualifying points to the 2027 Kentucky Derby. Breffni Farm bred Hughes in Kentucky.