A grateful Baffert reflects on dominance after winning 20th Del Mar Futurity
:quality(75))
DEL MAR, Calif. – To put Bob Baffert’s achievement of winning 20 runnings of the Del Mar Futurity into perspective, it’s helpful to take a quick look around the world.
Perhaps the only trainer to come close to that milestone is Aidan O’Brien of Ireland, who has won 18 runnings of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes for 2-year-olds at the Curragh, including this year’s race on Aug. 9 with Sun Goddess, and 18 runnings of the Irish Derby, including this year on June 28 with Benvenuto Cellini.
O’Brien, 56, and Baffert, 73, have achieved those milestones – and many more – through their ability to annually prepare championship-level Thoroughbreds for major stakes. On Sunday, a few hours after Hughes became Baffert’s 20th Del Mar Futurity winner, the Hall of Fame trainer added more perspective to the accomplishment.
“Longevity, with good clients,” Baffert said. “You can’t do it without good clientele. It all started with Silver Charm.”
:: Play to Win at Del Mar! Get DRF Past Performances, Expert Picks and Clocker Reports
In 1996, nearly five years after Baffert left Quarter Horse racing at Los Alamitos to tend to his Thoroughbred stable full time, Silver Charm won the Del Mar Futurity for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis. At the time, the Lewises were at the peak of their involvement in racing.
Less than a year later, Silver Charm gave Baffert the first of six wins in the Kentucky Derby.
Silver Charm’s win in the Del Mar Futurity was the first of seven consecutive victories in the race for Baffert. Hughes is his sixth consecutive winner, a streak that began with Pinehurst in 2021.
For another viewpoint of Baffert’s dominance in the Del Mar Futurity, seven trainers have won the last 10 runnings of the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at Saratoga, which was run on Sunday and is that track’s leading race for juveniles.
Hughes is owned by a large partnership that includes Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stable. By Into Mischief, Hughes was purchased for $675,000 at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Hughes won his debut by six lengths in a maiden race at five furlongs at the Los Alamitos daytime Thoroughbred meeting on June 21. He then won his stakes debut by 7 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 8.
In the Del Mar Futurity, Hughes ($2.40) disputed the early pace before taking the lead on the turn. He led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining and by 4 3/4 lengths at the finish under jockey Juan Hernandez.
“I think he’s the kind of horse that does most of his running at the end, which you like to see,” Baffert said in the winner’s circle. “I love the way he ran. It’s nice to be in this position. It’s fun. It’s still exciting. It’s what we work so hard for.”
The win pushes Hughes to the fore of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland on Oct. 30. Baffert said in a text message on Monday that Hughes will be nominated to the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 3 and will “probably” run.
Baffert won the 2014 Del Mar Futurity with American Pharoah, who swept the Triple Crown the following year. Baffert has won a record 13 runnings of the American Pharoah Stakes, most recently in 2024 with Citizen Bull, and a record six runnings of the BC Juvenile, the latest with Citizen Bull.
Before races for juveniles began in earnest in the spring, Hughes was not the most high-profile 2-year-old in Baffert’s stable. In April, Zedan, by the high-profile first-year stallion Flightline, was purchased for $10.5 million at the Ocala Breeders Sale of 2-year-olds in-training by Amr Zedan, another of Baffert’s leading clients. Zedan has yet to have a workout, however.
Hughes gave Baffert his 196th stakes win at Del Mar. The 195th was Miss Monica in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-olds, the 13th time Baffert has won the track’s premier race for 2-year-old fillies.
Miss Monica is a contender for the BC Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 30 and is likely to start in the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 3.
Later on Sunday, Baffert won his 197th stakes at Del Mar with Desert Gate in the $126,000 Shared Belief Stakes for 3-year-old milers. Baffert has won 13 runnings of the Shared Belief.
Desert Gate, who won on Sunday by 5 1/2 lengths, was second to stablemate Brant in the 2025 Del Mar Futurity.
Baffert is the only trainer with more than 100 career stakes wins at Del Mar. John Sadler is second with 94 through Sunday.
“It’s been a great day,” Baffert said after Desert Gate’s win. “Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but it’s a great day.”
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.