BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 30, 2026

Flavien Prat

Hughes

Keeneland Race Course

Juvenile

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Flavien, we had Bob Baffert and Tom Ryan in here talking about Hughes and his victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. This was your first time aboard him, but Bob said that you were familiar, having watched his races and that he really didn't have any instructions about the horse.

So what can you kind of tell us about having just talked to Bob or watching the horse in his previous races that maybe gave you any kind of insight into what to do in the race with him?

FLAVIEN PRAT: Honestly, I was very grateful to get the mount first. Bob has done a great job. You know when you go to the Breeders' Cup, they are going to be ready. That was the case once again.

Horse jumped well out of the gate, and I was going to get him to switch off around the turn. I haven't watched a replay yet, but it seems like someone touched his heel and he got aggressive on me down the back side. So he took a breather around the turn. I didn't really want to do it, but obviously he had to take a breather.

Then he turned for home, and it seems like we're all lined up at that point. He could have just thrown in the towel, but he just digged in. I'm very proud of his effort, and he was very game.

THE MODERATOR: That's kind of what Bob alluded to is he'd never really been battle tested before. When all those horses came up to him, he was really happy to see him dig into the finish.

After a race like this and obviously everybody looking forward to the 3-year-olds and Kentucky Derby, from what you felt aboard him today and in this race, any sort of insight about him going forward as the distances get longer?

FLAVIEN PRAT: As of now, it seems like distance is not a problem. Obviously he's going to need to stretch out a bit more. It's still a long way to go. As good as he does, he still has a race to run, and he's going to run against different horses in the future that are not even in the picture yet. They will at some point.

Just based on the way he ran through there and the feeling that he gave me, he is for sure as of now one of the top contenders, if not the best one.

THE MODERATOR: Very professional performance from Hughes today in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. So congratulations.