Hughes, Emphatic clinch championship titles on Breeders' Cup Friday

Oct 30, 2026 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Hughes wins the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland. (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert had mixed success at Keeneland on Friday but got the win most expected when Hughes prevailed as the odds-on choice in the $1.76 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

Tested like he never had been before after four lopsided wins in Southern California, Hughes turned back late challenges from Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner American History and his own stablemate Salahudin to capture the Juvenile by 2 1/4 lengths under Flavien Prat.

A Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief, Hughes races for a wide-ranging partnership that includes Starlight Racing, in whose silks he carried in the Juvenile.

Previously a convincing winner of the Best Pal (G3), Del Mar Futurity (G1), and American Pharoah (G1), Hughes cemented claims on champion two-year-old honors after covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.27. He paid $3.64.

Hughes earned an additional 30 qualifying points towards next year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) and now has 40. American History increased his total from 10 to 25, while Salahudin jumped from 10 to 19 points. Coach Pope finished fourth and earned six points to bring his total to 11, while pacesetter Damavand weakened to fifth and earned three points.

“Those four colts were really good colts, and we're going to be hearing a lot about them,” Baffert said. “I think the two-year-old crop is really strong this year. It should be exciting hopefully next spring.”

Baffert was less lucky in the $1.84 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), as his 2-1 favorite Miss Monica fell 1 1/2 lengths short of Emphatic after a troubled start.

However, Emphatic lived up to her name with an explosive move to the lead on the far turn. Up four lengths with a furlong to go, Emphatic held on to register her second Grade 1 win at Keeneland following a victory in the Alcibiades (G1) earlier this month.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for owners Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen, Emphatic covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.29 and returned $7.92 as the second choice while providing Brendan Walsh his first Breeders’ Cup training victory.

“I felt like a winner the entire race,” said Gaffalione, who had Emphatic well positioned in second behind the pacesetting Lexi’s Charm. “She broke alertly, put herself in the game early, and when I pushed the button, she really responded.

The Juvenile Fillies was the first Breeders’ Cup winner for trainer Brendan Walsh, who said, “I’m really ecstatic. She went great, and Tyler did a fantastic job. Everybody on my team—hats off to them. They do such a good job with this filly. Thanks to Antony and Andrew, super people—we’re just blessed. It was setting up perfectly. They were rolling. When she opened up, I thought she was going to tire a little bit, then she didn’t, but Bob’s filly was running at her. But she was in front far enough and finished well. She’s a super filly.”

Emphatic earned 30 qualifying points towards next year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) and now has 40 in total. Miss Monica earned 15 points, while third-place Pocahontas (G3) winner Manuka Honey increased her total from 10 to 19 points. The maiden Revenge of the Sis finished fourth, increasing her total from three to nine points, and fifth-placed Domain Expansion earned three points and now has 13 in total following an earlier win in the Oak Leaf (G2).

Emphatic, a Pennsylvania-bred, will head to winter quarters undefeated from four starts. She kicked off her career with a dominant maiden score at Colonial Downs and followed up with a 5 1/4-length win in the one-mile Sorority S. at Monmouth Park prior to the Alcibiades.