The biggest race of the year for 2-year-old male Thoroughbreds, the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, took place at Keeneland last Saturday. Naturally, it impacted the Rookie Rankings, our Top 10 list of contenders for the 2027 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

As bettors widely expected, the undefeated Hughes brought his record to 5-for-5 and picked up his third straight Grade 1 win with a victory in the Juvenile. He pressed the pace, turned back a challenge from Coach Pope, and kicked away late to win the 1 1/16-mile race by 2 1/4 lengths in the solid time of 1:42.27 as the odds-on favorite.

Hughes ranked No. 2 in last week’s Rookie Rankings and retains his position this week, trailing only runaway Grade 1 Champagne Stakes winner U. S. S. Valor.

Second place in the Juvenile went to American History. Previously a late-running winner of the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, American History showed improved speed in the Juvenile, sticking within 1 1/2 lengths of the pace before finishing with determination to snatch second place from Salahudin. He advances from No. 7 to No. 4 in the Rookie Rankings.

Salahudin on the track at Keeneland (Eclipse Sportswire)

Salahudin is likewise moving up, climbing from No. 9 to No. 4 after finishing only a head behind American History in the Juvenile. Salahudin raced between and inside of rivals down the homestretch and ran well under the circumstances.

Unfortunately, Coach Pope — ranked No. 4 last week — disappointed in the Juvenile. After looming large around the final turn, he tired to finish fourth, beaten by six lengths. We’ve dropped him from the Rookie Rankings to accommodate newcomer Powerline (No. 7 this week), who impressed in a maiden special weight sprinting seven-eighths of a mile on Saturday at Keeneland.

Powerline is a work in progress. He’s raced greenly in all three of his starts, at times fighting his rider. At Keeneland, he didn’t break with the field and spotted the leaders multiple lengths right out of the starting gate. Despite this obstacle, Powerline pulled his way back into contention and overcame a very wide journey around the turn to rally past the leaders and win by one length in 1:22.26. This was a big effort.

We’ve also dropped Q B Rocket (No. 6 last week) from the Rookie Rankings since he hasn’t posted a timed workout since Oct. 17. We’ve replaced him with Jas (No. 10 this week), recent winner of the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes.

Here’s how the complete Rookie Rankings shape up:

1. U. S. S. Valor: The scratches of Champagne starters Gaudreau and Earth Song from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile unfortunately cost us a chance to see how the Champagne form would stack up at the Breeders’ Cup.

Owner: Team Valor International

Trainer: Shug McGaughey

Last Race: 1st, Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, Oct. 3

2. Hughes: Ranks as the most accomplished Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner since Nyquist in 2015, the last horse to complete the elusive Juvenile-Kentucky Derby double.

Owner: Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Last Race: 1st, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Oct. 30

3. Endrush: Worked an easy half-mile in :50.80 on Oct. 14, but hasn’t posted a timed workout since then.

Owner: Green Lantern Stables

Trainer: Eddie Kenneally

Last Race: 1st, Maiden Special Weight, Sept. 10

Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up American History (Eclipse Sportswire)

4. American History: According to the Equibase GPS result chart, American History ran 26 feet (roughly 3 1/4 lengths) farther than Hughes in the Juvenile, yet he lost by only 2 1/4 lengths.

Owner: WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Last Race: 2nd, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Oct. 30

5. Salahudin: Didn’t have a ton of racing room down the Juvenile homestretch, but fought well and just missed second place.

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Last Race: 3rd, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Oct. 30

6. Fools Rush In: He’s a son of Into Mischief (the sire of three Kentucky Derby winners) out of a mare by Pioneerof the Nile (the sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah). What’s not to like?

Owner: Jackpot Farm and Spendthrift Farm

Trainer: Brad Cox

Last Race: 1st, Maiden Special Weight, Oct. 25

Recent maiden winner Powerline (Eclipse Sportswire)

7. Powerline: He’s clearly talented and could be a genuine stakes star if he learns to race more professionally.

Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds, John C. Oxley, Summer Wind Equine, and Bee Zee

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Last Race: 1st, Maiden Special Weight, Oct. 31

8. American Soul: He’s among the possible entrants for the Mochinoki Sho over 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) at Kyoto this Sunday.

Owner: Yoshizawa Holdings Co.

Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi

Last Race: 1st, Newcomer, Oct. 12

Mystik Bayou, third in the Street Sense Stakes (Eclipse Sportswire)

9. Mystik Bayou: The form of his Belmont maiden win was flattered when distant third-place finisher Election Hero returned to win his next start at the same track, distance, and class level.

Owner: Four G Racing, Lance Gasaway, and Daniel Hamby III

Trainer: Kenny McPeek

Last Race: 3rd, Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes, Oct. 25

10. Jas: Showed promise on turf, then switched to dirt and won the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes by a determined neck, with Mystik Bayou another five lengths back in third.

Owner: Red Lane Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Last Race: 1st, Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes, Oct. 25