Coach Pope heads Breeders’ Futurity; Hughes, U. S. S. Valor tops draws in American Pharoah, Champagne

Sep 30, 2026 James Scully

Hughes wins the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at Del Mar. (Photo by Benoit Photo)

The 2026-27 Road to the Kentucky Derby is underway and qualifying points will be offered in a trio of important Grade 1 two-year-old races Saturday: $300,000 American Pharoah at Santa Anita, $650,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, and $500,000 Champagne at Belmont Park.

Each race offers a combined 21 points (10-5-3-2-1 scale) toward a berth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and guarantees the winner a berth in the Oct. 30 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland as a “Win & You’re In” Challenge series event.

And all will feature exciting prospects for the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.

Coach Pope, a smashing 12-length maiden scorer over a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs on Sept. 12, tops eight runners in the Breeders’ Futurity. The son of Tapit will wheel back on 21-days rest and stretch to two turns for Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Kenny McPeek. Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Jose Ortiz rides.

🏀𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗢𝗣𝗘 travels to Louisville and secures the blowout W!@jose93_ortiz assists with a confident ride for trainer @KennyMcPeek.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/wyawVacz9S

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 12, 2026

Top rivals in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity include Del Mar Futurity (G1) runner-up Phone Booth and last-out maiden winners American History and Q B Rocket.

Del Mar Futurity and Best Pal (G3) winner Hughes has made short work of the competition out west, winning his first three starts by a combined 18 1/2 lengths, and the son of three-time Kentucky Derby-winning sire Into Mischief will look to remain perfect in the American Pharoah. Trained by six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, Hughes will square off against five challengers in the 1 1/16-mile test. Regular rider Juan Hernandez has the call.

Baffert is also responsible for a pair of convincing last-out maiden winners, Emancipate and Imperial Honor.

U. S. S. Valor stamped himself as a two-year-old to watch, and a possible Kentucky Derby contender, when scorching the competition the second time out at Saratoga, registering a whopping 105 Brisnet Speed rating for the 13-length maiden win. And the promising Shug McGaughey-trained colt projects to be a prohibitive favorite when lining up against five opponents in the $500,000 Champagne. Manny Franco will guide.

Contested over a one-turn mile, the Champagne has also attracted Gaudreau, who will make his second career outing for Chad Brown following a wire-to-wire maiden win over Coach Pope and U. S. S. Valor at Saratoga in early August; and runaway debut winner Club Reign.