Hughes

Hughes began his career as a 2-year-old with a maiden win in his first lifetime start on June 21, 2026, at Los Alamitos. He was sent up immediately against graded stakes competition in his second start in the Grade 3 $150,000 Best Pal Stakes going six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 8. In the Best Pal, Hughes went right to the lead again, fought off pressure up front, and took control in the stretch to run off to an impressive 7 3/4-length win.

Hughes returned to the track closing weekend at the Del Mar summer meet for the Grade 1 $300,000 Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs on the main track. He was sent off as the heavy 1-5 favorite on the tote board and delivered decisively with a 4 3/4-length victory after emerging best from an early scramble for the lead in splits of :22.4 and :45.3. Hughes covered the seven furlongs on 1:22.57 and recorded the 20th career Del Mar Futurity win for trainer Bob Baffert.

Hughes returned at Santa Anita on Oct. 3 in the Grade 1 $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes presented by DK Horse and kept his undefeated record intact with an easy six-length victory atop a six-horse field. Hughes successfully stretched out to the 1 1/16-mile distance to post a winning time of 1:43.22 on a fast track while showing a new dimension for the first time when able to rate just off the pace before launching his winning move three wide on the turn. The American Pharoah Stakes was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" prep race, and with his win, Hughes earned a fees-paid trip to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30 at Keeneland.

Hughes was bred in Kentucky by the sire Into Mischief out of the dam K P Dreamin by Union Rags.