U. S. S. Valor, Hughes, American History win coast-to-coast Kentucky Derby qualifiers

Oct 04, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

U. S. S. Valor wins the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park. (Photo by Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta)

On Saturday, contenders for the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1) took center stage in a trio of early Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers across the country.

The Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park, the American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita, and the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland all awarded Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points to their top five finishers on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis. They also served as “Win and You’re In” qualifiers to the Oct. 30 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland.

Champagne (G1)

Of the three winners, U. S. S. Valor posted the largest margin of victory, dominating the historic one-mile Champagne by 6 1/2 lengths.

Ridden to victory by Manny Franco, U. S. S. Valor started as the heavy betting favorite off a powerful maiden victory at Saratoga. In the Champagne, he raced toward the rear of a tightly bunched field through pace fractions of :23.19 and :46.08. Rounding the turn, he had to wait in traffic behind and between rivals, but then he threaded his way into the clear and powered away to reach the finish line in the fast time of 1:34.84.

𝗨.𝗦. 𝗦. 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗥 finds an opening and kicks into gear to win the Champagne S. At Belmont Park! 🍾🌟@jockeyfranco pilots the 2y/o colt to victory for trainer Claude McGaughey.

Next stop: Breeders' Cup pic.twitter.com/GTwD7ZVJUv

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 3, 2026

Gaudreau, one of the pacesetters, stayed on to finish second by a clear margin over Club Reign, followed by Earth Song, Johnny Hockey, and Raku.

Owned and bred by Team Valor International, U. S. S. Valor is trained by Shug McGaughey, who won the 2013 Kentucky Derby with Orb.

American Pharoah (G1)

Six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert has another hot Derby prospect in Hughes, who brought his unbeaten record to 4-for-4 with a decisive triumph in the 1 1/16-mile American Pharoah.

Previously victorious in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), Hughes rated patiently in third place under jockey Juan Hernandez as longshot Net Par set fractions of :23.37 and :46.86. Hughes advanced to challenge around the far turn, then seized command in the homestretch and surged ahead to win by six lengths in 1:43.22.

Net Par held on for second place, followed by Imperial Honor, Domus, Emancipate, and Dang Son.

Bred by Breffni Farm, Hughes races for the partnership of 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.

Breeders’ Futurity (G1)

A race-long duel between favorites Coach Pope and Q B Rocket in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity helped American History close from last place to spring a mild upset.

Coming off a runaway maiden win at Saratoga, American History broke slowly in the Breeders’ Futurity and trailed through an opening quarter-mile in :23.52. But as Coach Pope and Q B Rocket raced away from the pack through increasingly stiff fractions of :46.54 and 1:10.52, American History gradually passed rivals, and down the homestretch he reeled in the tiring leaders to triumph by one length in 1:44.88.

𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 makes history of his own, winning the G1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity! 🏆@PletcherRacing trains the 2y/o colt with jockey @ljlmvel aboard for the ride.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/TOhRGP3s6A

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 3, 2026

Coach Pope outbattled Q B Rocket by a neck for second place, followed distantly by Title Worthy, Jaded, and Phone Booth.

Jockey John Velazquez, a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, guided American History for two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher. Velazquez and Pletcher teamed up to win the 2017 Kentucky Derby with Always Dreaming.

Alpha Delta Stables bred American History, who is owned by the partnership of WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC.