It took until the final major weekend of racing in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In for there to be spots offered for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), but it was well worth the wait as three future stars punched their ticket across the United States Oct. 3.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions with fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held at Keeneland Oct. 30-31.
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Breeders’ Cup Friday is known as Future Stars Friday, and all three of U. S. S. Valor, American History, and Hughes fit that bill and already have excitement building around them looking toward the Kentucky Derby (G1) next year.
U. S. S. Valor was the first to take down an automatic berth in the 1-mile Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and was likely the most impressive. A homebred for Team Valor International, he broke slowly yet powered down the stretch to defeat talented maiden winners Gaudreau and Club Reign with relative ease by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:34.84.
Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey and ridden by Manny Franco, the War of Will colt entered Saturday’s contest with lofty expectations after a 13 1/4-length maiden win Sept. 5 earned high speed figures in his second career start.
“It’s exciting,” McGaughey said. “You never really know how good they are until they step up, and he stepped up today. It’s going to be exciting for us, as long as everything stays the same, to go through the winter and see where it takes us.”
U.S.S. Valor Takes Champagne
While U. S. S. Valor had the flashy victory, WinStar Farm, First Go Racing, and CHC’s American History got important experience over the Keeneland track itself and around two turns as he rallied from off the pace to defeat two highly regarded maiden winners who were battling on the lead in Coach Pope and Q B Rocket by a length.
Now 2-for-2 for the Hall of Fame team of trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez, the son of Constitution bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables showed he could come from far back despite Keeneland’s shorter stretch for 1 1/16-mile races, completing the distance in 1:44.88.
WinStar Farm president and CEO Gerry Duffy spoke highly about the colt in the winner’s circle and is thrilled for the opportunity to compete in the FanDuel Juvenile.
“It’s a Win and You’re In, it’s a perfect prep,” Duffy said. “We’ve got a real live shot coming into the Breeders’ Cup and lovely to have that win on the host track.”
Breeders’ Futurity Goes To American History
Completing the trio of winners was Hughes in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, and his edge come the last Friday in October will be experience.
Trained by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and ridden by Juan Hernandez, the Breffni Farm-bred son of Into Mischief is a perfect 4-for-4 and is already a two-time grade 1 winner after taking the 7-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1) last month.
Like American History, Saturday marked Hughes’ first start around two turns and he aced it with ease, pulling away down the lane after stalking the pace to beat Net Par by 6 lengths.
“It was good schooling for him. He got behind horses and we wanted to see that,” Baffert said. “I just think he’s getting better and better. Baby steps to progress in the right way. He fits well in the Breeders’ Cup now, so hopefully we can get him there healthy.”
Hughes has undoubtedly made himself the West Coast’s top juvenile through his first four starts, and will aim to carry that east for the large ownership group that includes Front Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
