2026 American Pharoah Stakes Preview at Santa Anita Park

Key Takeaways:

• The American Pharoah offers a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile automatic bid and Kentucky Derby qualifying points at the same 1 1/16-mile distance as the Juvenile, with four of the six runners coming from the dominant Bob Baffert barn.
• Hughes is the clear favorite after going undefeated through three starts, including open-length victories in the Best Pal (G3) and Del Mar Futurity (G1); the biggest question is whether he can carry his speed around two turns for the first time.
• Hughes tops the picks despite the short 4-5 price, bringing the strongest form in the field and proven ability to handle early pressure; the other runners need significant improvement to challenge him.
• Imperial Honor is the upside play behind Hughes, with only one start under his belt but a pedigree that strongly suggests he should improve around two turns; his ability to handle some pace pressure in his debut is another positive.
• Dang Son is the long-shot pick at 12-1, offering something the rest of the field lacks: proven two-turn experience and a mile win. His dirt form is the concern, but his ability to settle and rally could become valuable if the numerous speed horses battle up front.

A field of six up-and-coming juveniles on the West Coast line up Saturday, October 3, for the Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The race covers 1 1/16 miles – a two-turn distance equal to that of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the race to which the winner gets an automatic bid. The American Pharoah also offers 10-5-3-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs next May.

Bob Baffert is the dominant 2-year-old trainer in California, and the entries to the American Pharoah reflect that. Four of the six horses entered are from the Baffert barn, and they are the top four choices on the morning line. The 4-5 morning-line favorite is Hughes, undefeated in three starts, including wins in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Best Pal (G3). Baffert also trains sharp maiden winner Imperial Honor, the well-bred Emancipate, and Del Mar Futurity fourth-place finisher Domus. Grade 1-placed Dang Son for Doug O’Neill and California-bred stakes winner Net Par for Antonio Garcia round out the field.

The history of the American Pharoah Stakes dates back to 1970 when it was inaugurated as the Norfolk Stakes. It held that name through 2011, was called the FrontRunner Stakes from 2012 through 2017, after Santa Anita’s restaurant. The race has been named for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah since 2018. Its namesake is one of two Kentucky Derby winners who also won this race – American Pharoah won the FrontRunner Stakes in 2014, and Nyquist won the next year.

2026 American Pharoah Stakes Information

• Race Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
• Track: Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California
• Post Time: 4:04 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 1/16 miles on the dirt
• Age/Sex: Two-year-olds
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

American Pharoah Stakes: Santa Anita Draw and Odds

This is the field for the 2026 edition of the American Pharoah Stakes, including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds.

American Pharoah Stakes Prep Race Results

Four of the six horses in the American Pharoah come out of stakes races at Del Mar. Three come out of the same race: the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1) on September 6. Hughes was the runaway winner after battling on the pace and clearing off by 4 ¾ lengths. Third place Dang Son, who was bumped at the start and finished 10 lengths beaten, and Domus, who was forward early but weakened to finish fourth, beaten 16 ½ lengths. Net Par comes out of a second-place finish, beaten 6 ¼ lengths in the Im Smokin Stakes, after stumbling early; this will be Net Par’s first try against horses bred outside California.

The other two runners come out of open maiden specials at Del Mar. Imperial Honor won first out, leading at every call to win a 5 ½-furlong race September 7 by 5 ¼ lengths. Emancipate needed two starts to graduate, but earned his diploma August 29 in a six-furlong sprint, winning by 2 ½ lengths despite some trouble caused by a loose horse.

American Pharoah Stakes Contenders

These are the runners in the 2026 American Pharoah Stakes, organized by post position.

1. Dang Son: His only victory in three starts came at two turns, making him the only horse in the field who even has a two-turn start. However, that came on the grass, and he was no threat when third-last out in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) against Hughes. Perhaps a better start will have him in contention, but even then, even a significant move forward could leave him second or third best in this field if some of the others run back to their form. How he’ll perform at this level is a question, too – both trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Emisael Jaramillo have started Santa Anita hot, but O’Neill has been underperforming in graded-stakes races.
2. Hughes: With three starts, he is one of the more experienced runners – and not only is he the only graded-stakes winner in the field, but he has also had two graded-stakes wins. He has a lot of early speed, and probably won't be alone early, but he has proven multiple times that he can set a contested pace and then turn on the afterburners. Two turns is the biggest question for this Bob Baffert runner: but, sire Into Mischief is no worry at 1 1/16 miles, especially when Hughes is out of a Union Rags mare who was Grade 1-placed as a juvenile going two turns, from a family that has two-turn class.
3. Net Par: His four starts are the most of any horse in the field – but this will be the Antonio Garcia trainee’s first attempt against horses bred outside the Golden State. The stretch out to two turns makes sense: sire Pavel liked to go long, and Net Par has a full sister who won a Cal-bred stakes at a mile as a juvenile. It’s also nice that he won the Graduation Stakes two back from a stalk-and-pounce trip; he has shown he can pass horses. The question is just going to be whether he is good enough to beat the top of this field; with four starts, he may be getting close to “what you see is what you get, at least for now,” and his trainer has been freezing cold in both stretch-outs and graded-stakes races.
4. Imperial Honor: The second-stringer for the Bob Baffert barn, this pricey son of Honor A. P. graduated at first asking going 5 ½ furlongs but is bred to need a route of ground – his dam is a Nyquist half-sister to top two-turn turfer Deterministic and the family is replete with turf route class. It’s unsurprising given Hughes’ record that Juan Hernandez chooses Hughes, but he gets an adept replacement in Joel Rosario. Imperial Honor didn’t get an easy lead the entire way – but like so many in this field, the question will be pace, as he’ll need to prove he can battle and stay on the 1 1/16 miles, or switch gears and stalk.
5. Emancipate: He never got involved on debut at Del Mar, but two weeks later he showed more early zip and ran on to a cozy victory. He’ll need to improve from that effort, though. The pedigree is promising: he is by Uncle Mo, and though dam Marley’s Freedom was a millionaire and Grade 1-winning sprinter, she has already produced Hope Road, a three-time Grade 1 winner at a two-turn mile (in addition to being a Grade 1-winning sprinter). It is a concern, though, that he won on the pace and was never very involved when he didn’t get forward, since he will need to find more pace to keep up with some of his foes early.
6. Domus: He led at every call in his five-furlong debut, but wasn’t quite able to set the terms or stay involved in the end in the Del Mar Futurity, weakening to finish a well-beaten fourth of five. The stretch out is worth trying, though hardly a slam dunk – the Uncle Mo on top is a positive, but even though he hails from the extended family of Dream of Summer, his dam Der Lu’s branch has more short-distance class closer up in the family. Even though Baffert is stretching out his horses, others have more upside.

American Pharoah Stakes: 3 Best Bets

These are the three best bets in the 2026 American Pharoah Stakes:

1. Hughes (4-5)

Hughes is the best in the West so far, and though it’s hard to tell what he has been beating, that question will probably persist after this race, as well. Just like almost this entire field, he is trying two turns for the first time, but he is bred for it. His speed is as sharp as anyone’s here, meaning he can get a forward spot in the field of six. And, though he has not yet had to prove what happens when he doesn’t get close to the lead, he has had to handle taking pressure or even having to duel early, and he has just kept on running.

The price will be short on Hughes, of course. But, his three races, including his two graded-stakes efforts, have been very strong, and the rest of the field will have to move up significantly to give Hughes a challenge. That may (and probably will) happen later down the Kentucky Derby trail, but for Saturday, looking for prices elsewhere in multi-race sequences is the way to go.

2. Imperial Honor (9-5)

Imperial Honor, the second-stringer among the four Bafferts, will have to do a lot to improve enough to beat his stablemate, Hughes. However, he has the most upside of anyone else in the field. He has raced just once, and he took some pace pressure before clearing off. He won’t get an easy lead here – no one will – but the fact that he has already proven he doesn’t need it is a plus.

He also has the most interesting distance pedigree in the field. Precocity wasn’t a guarantee – he had to prove that on the track first out – but being by Honor A. P. out of a Nyquist mare from a strong turf route family? A debut at 5 ½ furlongs may have been what was available, and may have been a good way to not ask too much, too soon, but everything suggests he will move up at two turns.

3. Dang Son (12-1)

The other two Bafferts have limited form and may be slightly overbet just by virtue of their barn. For exotics in particular, it’s worth considering the only horse in the field with a two-turn start, much less a two-turn win: Dang Son, who broke his maiden at a mile at Del Mar.

Of course, the big caveat is that Dang Son’s maiden win came at a mile on the lawn and he has been well beaten – behind the likes of Hughes and Domus – in his two dirt starts. But, he has built some fitness and stamina from stretching out. And, with so many of the other runners in this field preferring to be on or near the lead? The fact that Dang Son settled off a sharp pace and rallied to win that two-turn maiden race under the red-hot jockey Emisael Jaramillo suggests that he should get into the picture late.

American Pharoah Stakes FAQ

Q: When is the American Pharoah Stakes?

A: The American Pharoah Stakes happens Saturday, October 3 at 4:04 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. The race is carded as the seventh of 10 on the card.

Q: Where is the American Pharoah Stakes?

A: The race happens over the main dirt track at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the American Pharoah Stakes?

A: Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the American Pharoah Stakes 13 times, with his first win coming in 1997 with Souvenir Copy and his most recent in 2024 with Citizen Bull. American Pharoah won it for Baffert in 2014 when it was still called the FrontRunner Stakes; the race was renamed for the Triple Crown winner as of the 2018 running. Baffert has four of the six entrants in 2026: Hughes, Imperial Honor, Domus, and Emancipate.

Q: Who is the favorite for the American Pharoah Stakes?

A: Hughes is the 4-5 favorite for the American Pharoah and should be a well-defined favorite come post time. The son of Into Mischief hails from the dominant Bob Baffert barn, and has not done anything wrong on race day yet. He vied on the pace before clearing on debut, and then won both the Best Pal and the Del Mar Futurity by open lengths.

Q: Who is the best American Pharoah Stakes jockey?

A: Jockey Alex Solis is the all-time leading rider in the American Pharoah Stakes, with seven wins between 1985 and 2008. He is no longer actively riding races. Among the jockeys in the 2026 edition, Victor Espinoza leads with four wins, most recently in 2016 with Gormley. Espinoza rides Net Par for Antonio Garcia this year.

Q: Who won the American Pharoah Stakes in 2025?

A: Intrepido won the 2025 American Pharoah for trainer Jeff Mullins and jockey Hector Berrios. Neither returns to the race this year.

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