Hughes (Into Mischief), who followed his 'TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard'-worthy debut with a romping win in the GIII Best Pal Stakes, added another furlong and another graded win to his resume with a powerful victory in the GI Del Mar Futurity at the oceanside oval Sunday. “It is the best of the west. Undefeated and headed to the Breeders' Cup,” track announcer Larry Collmus crooned as the bay colt sailed under the wire, giving trainer Bob Baffert his 20th Del Mar Futurity winner.Sent off the 1-5 favorite in the five-horse field, Hughes prompted the pace of longshot High Pronto (Hightail) through fractions of :22.87 and :45.69. He grabbed command leaving the bend, while Phone Booth (Pavel) tried to make a race of it while sneaking through along the rail. Hughes shrugged off the rival in upper stretch and strode home some four lengths in front and under wraps, completing the seven furlongs in 1:22.57.“I was aware that this was seven-eighths and I know that can sometimes be a tough one for a young horse,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “So, I had that horse [High Pronto] inside me, but I didn't want to push on my horse too early. He was handling it all well. I never hit him. When we straightened out, he was lugging in just a bit, so I tapped him on the left side and we were fine. He did his job today.”Baffert saw plenty to be optimistic about for Hughes's future.“He sat off the speed horse,” said Baffert. “We knew the inside horse was really fast. Juan said if he had gone to the lead, they would have gone faster, so he relaxed. We're still learning about these horses. He's the kind of horse who does most of his running at the end, which is what you like to see and he was taking off at the end.”Of his Futurity domination, Baffert said, “It's very exciting to win this race. It all started with Silver Charm. It's crazy. It's a long way from Prescott Downs.”Hughes, a $675,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, was made the 3-5 favorite when he debuted at Los Alamitos June 21 and gave his backers no anxious moments when he sailed home a six-length winner of the five-furlong contest. He coasted home a 7 3/4-length winner in the six-furlong GIII Best Pal Stakes last time out Aug. 8.Pedigree Notes:K P Dreamin was third in the 2019 GI Chandelier Stakes and GI Starlet Stakes for Karl Pergola. The mare, purchased by Breffni Farm for $260,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November sale, has a yearling colt by Elite Power who is catalogued for the upcoming Keeneland September sale and she produced a colt by McKinzie this year before being bred back to Patch Adams. The winner's third dam, Mediation, produced GI Pacific Classic winner Go Between (Point Given).It's the best of the west, HUGHES.Undefeated Hughes and Juan Hernandez remain victorious with a win in the Del Mar Futurity GI. pic.twitter.com/GNRhU5VjlW— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) September 6, 2026Sunday, Del MarDEL MAR FUTURITY-GI, $300,000, Del Mar, 9-6, 2yo, 7f, 1:22.57, ft.1–HUGHES, 124, c, 2, by Into Mischief 1st Dam: K P Dreamin (MGISP, $143,600), by Union Rags 2nd Dam: Litigating, by Point Given 3rd Dam: Mediation (Ire), by Caerleon1ST GRADE I WIN. ($675,000 Ylg '25 KEESEP). O-Front RowClub LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, StonestreetStables LLC, Bashor Racing LLC, Albaugh Family Stables, LLC,Robert E. Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge CapitalLLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Breffni Farm (KY); T-BobBaffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $180,000. 'TDN Rising Star,presented by Hagyard' Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $300,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Phone Booth, 122, c, 2, Pavel–Mandy's Grace, by BellamyRoad. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Reddam Racing, LLC (CA);T-Doug F. O'Neill. $60,000.3–Dang Son, 122, c, 2, Good Magic–Orate, by A.P. Indy.1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACKTYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '25 FTKOCT). O-Calumet Farm;B-Claiborne Farm (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $36,000.Margins: 4 3/4, 5 1/4, 6HF. Odds: 0.20, 11.00, 19.90.Also Ran: Domus, High Pronto.Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel Racing. The post Hughes Gives Baffert 20th Del Mar Futurity Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.