Damavand drew post 1 and is 20-1 on the morning line for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile 2026, Race 9 at Keeneland on Friday, Oct. 30 (4:55 PM ET). The Todd Pletcher-trained $1 million yearling won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race over the Keeneland track on Oct. 4. The race is part of Future Stars Friday at Breeders' Cup 2026.
Updated: Wed., Oct. 28 — post position and morning line from Monday's draw; Gaudreau (#2) scratched.
Course-and-distance winner on the rail at 20-1. Our live longshot.
| Damavand at a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Jockey / Trainer | Luis Saez / Todd Pletcher |
| Owner | Amo Racing USA |
| Pedigree | Not This Time – Tempers Rising, by Bayern |
| Earnings | $69,985 |
| Last Race | 1st Maiden Special Weight, Keeneland, Oct. 4 |
| Last Workout | 4f in :48.60, Keeneland, Oct. 23 |
| How Qualified | Entered; fields set by Breeders' Cup Challenge points and panel selection |
| Race | 1 1/16 miles, dirt, $2 million |
Get up to $1,000 Sign Up Cash Bonus - for your first deposit with BUSR, you'll get an additional 20% bonus to your deposit absolutely free. Plus, earn a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers.
| 2026 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Field (7) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML |
| 1 | Damavand | Luis Saez | Todd Pletcher | 20-1 |
| 2 | Gaudreau (SCR) | Manuel Franco | Chad Brown | SCR |
| 3 | Salahudin | Tyler Gaffalione | Bob Baffert | 6-1 |
| 4 | Earth Song | Junior Alvarado | Jorge Delgado | 20-1 |
| 5 | Hughes | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | 1-1 |
| 6 | American History | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 9-2 |
| 7 | Coach Pope | Jose Ortiz | Kenny McPeek | 4-1 |
| 8 | He Is No Lie | Joel Rosario | Doug O'Neill | 15-1 |
Post position draw held Monday, Oct. 26 at Keeneland. SCR = scratched. Race details: Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Live prices: Breeders' Cup odds.
The rail, with an empty stall next to him after the scratch:
| Damavand: Last 2 Starts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Race | Track / Dist | Finish | Odds |
| 10/04/26 | Maiden Special Weight | Keeneland 1 1/16m | 1st by a long neck | 5-2 |
| 09/07/26 | Maiden Special Weight | Saratoga 6f | 4th | 3-1 |
Source: published race results. — = not available.
| Last-Race Brisnet Figures in the Juvenile Field | ||
|---|---|---|
| Horse | Last Race | Brisnet |
| Hughes | 1st, American Pharoah (G1) | 108 |
| Salahudin | 1st, Iroquois (G3) | 96 |
| He Is No Lie | 2nd, Iroquois (G3) | 95 |
| Earth Song | 4th, Champagne (G1) | 94 |
| American History | 1st, Breeders' Futurity (G1) | 93 |
| Coach Pope | 2nd, Breeders' Futurity (G1) | 92 |
| Damavand | 1st, Maiden, Keeneland | 87 |
Brisnet Speed Rating from each horse's last start, per Horse Racing Nation.
About a 6% chance to win (fair odds 15-1). Hughes is the horse to beat.
Our live longshot. He has the course-and-distance win and the rail, and 20-1 is bigger than we make him. Use him underneath in trifectas.
| How to Bet Damavand (#1) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bet | Ticket | Cost | Example return |
| Win | #1 | $10 | $210 at 20-1 |
| Win | #1 | $50 | $1,050 at 20-1 |
| Exacta | 1 over 5, 6 | $4 ($2 each) | About $80 (Hughes 2nd) or $220 (American History 2nd) |
| Trifecta | 1 with 5, 6 with 3, 5, 6, 7 | $6 ($1 each) | Pays more if a longshot runs third |
Examples only, based on the 20-1 morning line. Win returns include your stake. Exacta figures are estimates (winner's odds × (second horse's odds + 1) × $2); actual payouts are set by the betting pools at post time.
More: Breeders' Cup betting guide · contenders · schedule.
Damavand drew post 1 for the 2026 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Gaudreau (#2) scratched, leaving a field of seven.
Damavand is 20-1 on the morning line. Live prices: our Breeders' Cup odds page.
Luis Saez rides for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Yes. He won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Keeneland on Oct. 4, the same distance as the Juvenile.
Race 9 at Keeneland on Friday, Oct. 30, with post time at 4:55 PM ET.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
