Hughes has no trouble with American Pharoah Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Hughes had a comfortable lead in the stretch of the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday when jockey Juan Hernandez began thinking of the undefeated colt’s next scheduled assignment in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Oct. 30.

Hughes led by three lengths with a furlong remaining and by a wider margin at the sixteenth pole when Hernandez rose slightly in the saddle and began to ease down on Hughes.

Hughes was en route to a six-length win.

“As soon as I turned for home, I felt him pick it up,” Hernandez said. “I wanted to save him for the next race.

“I like the way he won.”

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Hughes ($2.60) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.22 in his first start around two turns. He won three sprints during the summer, including the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 6.

The win confirms Hughes as one of the nation’s leading juveniles.

Hernandez had Hughes in third for the first five furlongs of the $300,500 American Pharoah Stakes, stalking pacesetter Net Par, an 18-1 outsider. Net Par set decent fractions of 23.37 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 46.86 for a half-mile.

At the end of the backstretch, Hernandez moved Hughes into a three-wide position, outside of Net Par and Domus. Hughes engaged Net Par on the turn and took the lead turning into the stretch.

“On the backstretch, I moved him outside to put him in a better spot,” Hernandez said. “He wanted to take off and I thought, Not yet. I wanted to wait for the quarter-pole.”

Net Par, winner of the Graduation Stakes for California-bred sprinters at Del Mar on Aug. 7, held second.

“He’s a Cal-bred,” jockey Victor Espinoza said. “I was proud of the way he ran.”

Net Par finished 9 1/2 lengths in front of Imperial Honor, a maiden-race winner in his only previous start at Del Mar on Sept. 7. Domus finished fourth, followed by Emancipate and Dang Son.

Hughes, Imperial Honor and Domus are trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the American Pharoah Stakes a record 14 times. The race was known as the Norfolk Stakes through 2011. Baffert has won seven of the last nine American Pharoah Stakes.

Hughes, who is by Into Mischief, races for a partnership that includes Front Row Club syndicate, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stable. Purchased for $675,000 as a yearling at the 2025 Keeneland September Sale, Hughes has earned $480,000.

Baffert described the American Pharoah performance as a “good schooling” for Hughes.

“He got behind horses and he settled well and when he asked him to go and he did,” Baffert said. “I think he’s getting better and better. He’s taking baby steps in the right way.

“It was his first time going two turns. He fits in the Breeders’ Cup now.”

Arctic Wolf is BC bound

Arctic Wolf reversed a two-race losing streak in stakes with a perfect-trip win in the $100,500 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-old turf sprinters on Saturday.

Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for trainer Jack Sisterson, Arctic Wolf was always near the front in the five-furlong turf race, chasing pacesetter Omaha Spirit, the 11-10 favorite.

With a three-wide move, Arctic Wolf reached contention on the turn before taking the lead in early stretch. The second choice in the betting, Arctic Wolf ($5.40) won by 2 1/4 lengths over 42-1 Fumano’s Fire, who closed from last of six to finish second.

Omaha Spirit faded to finish third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths. High Pronto finished fourth, followed by Belleza Latina, and Study Session. Off in the Corner was scratched. He is entered in Sunday’s Grade 3 Zuma Beach stakes at a mile on turf.

Arctic Wolf was timed in 55.85 seconds, winning for the second time in four starts. By Frosted, Arctic Wolf has earned $143,903.

Sisterson said after the race that the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint on Oct. 30 is a goal with Arctic Wolf.

Owned by the partnership of CTR Stables, MHM Stables and John Goldthorpe, Arctic Wolf was sixth in the $200,000 Riverside Rush Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Ellis Park on Aug. 1, and fourth in the $748,725 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint on turf at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 29.

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