Darley homebred Fort Hughes notched a black-type first for his sire Henny Hughes in New York on Monday.  The chestnut colt was a comprehensive winner of the Listed Jimmy Winkfield Stakes over 1200m at Aqueduct.  

Fort Hughes (3g Henny Hughes – Forty Greeta by Roar) set a swift pace in front and then booted away to win by almost five lengths in 68.33s.  The time bettered the previous race record held by Farmonthefreeway and was just two-fifths of a second off the track record set by Captain Red back in 2003.

The result came just a day after Henny Hughes topped Session 5 at the Magic Millions yearling sale with a $210,000 colt purchased by BC3 Thoroughbreds.

Fort Hughes began his career with an impressive five length victory over 1100m at Belmont Park in October when he clocked a quick 62.98s.  That was only a tick outside the long-standing track record set by Mike’s Classic and it prompted a prophetic quote from trainer Kiaran McLaughlin who also trained Henny Hughes.

“There are a lot of similarities between Fort Hughes and Henny Hughes.  He looks look like him and he seems to have speed like him, too.  

“Fort Hughes didn’t work the lights out in the morning so it was hard to get a reading on him first time out.  But we were happy he won so impressively.”

Fort Hughes was beaten a head by Royal Currier (Red Bullet) second-up in the Listed Southampton Stakes at Philadelphia Park in December but turned the tables on him at Aqueduct.

Henny Hughes (Hennessy) has sired 22 individual winners from his first northern crop.  He was a brilliant youngster in his own right winning by six lengths on debut at Monmouth Park before a 15 length romp in the Listed Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park.  

Purchased privately by Darley, he followed up with a near four length victory in the G2 Special Stakes at Saratoga and rounded out his two-year-old campaign with a close second to Stevie Wonderboy in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.  

Henny Hughes launched his three year-olds season with a 10 length victory in the G3 Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park and followed up with front-running victories in the G1 King’s Bishop Stakes and G1 Vosburgh Stakes.

Henny Hughes stands for a $12,500 fee at Darley Lexington and he shuttles to Kelvinside in NSW for $19,250 a cover.  

Fort Hughes was bred in Kentucky and is the second foal from Champion Argentinean 2YO Filly Forty Greeta.  The mare has since foaled a Hard Spun colt and a Bernardini filly.

Present plans call for Fort Hughes to run in the Listed Fred ‘Cappy’ Capossela Stakes back at Aqueduct on March 5.