Coach Pope drew post 7 and is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile 2026, Race 9 at Keeneland on Friday, Oct. 30 (4:55 PM ET). The Kenny McPeek trainee was second, beaten a length, in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) over the same track and distance. 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 form and early speed, but short odds for a horse still looking for a stakes win.
| Coach Pope at a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Jockey / Trainer | Jose Ortiz / Kenny McPeek |
| Owner | Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck), Shamrock Stables and Michael J. Mackin |
| Pedigree | Tapit – Gamble's Ghost, by Ghostzapper |
| Earnings | $220,463 |
| Last Race | 2nd Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), Keeneland, Oct. 3 |
| Last Workout | 5f in 1:02.20, Keeneland |
| How Qualified | Entered; fields set by Breeders' Cup Challenge points and panel selection |
| Race | 1 1/16 miles, dirt, $2 million |
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| 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.
A speed horse drawn next to the one horse who needs the lead:
| Coach Pope: Last 3 Starts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Race | Track / Dist | Finish | Odds |
| 10/03/26 | Breeders' Futurity (G1) | Keeneland 1 1/16m | 2nd by 1 | 3-5 |
| 09/12/26 | Maiden Special Weight | Churchill Downs 1m | 1st by 12 1/2 | 2-5 |
| 08/08/26 | Maiden Special Weight | Saratoga 6 1/2f | 2nd by 1/2 | 12-1 |
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 12% chance to win (fair odds 7-1). Hughes and American History are the main threats.
Good enough to hit the board, but 4-1 is short for a maiden winner drawn next to more speed. Use him in second and third, not on top.
| How to Bet Coach Pope (#7) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bet | Ticket | Cost | Example return |
| Win | #7 | $10 | $50 at 4-1 |
| Win | #7 | $50 | $250 at 4-1 |
| Exacta | 7 over 5, 6 | $4 ($2 each) | About $16 (Hughes 2nd) or $44 (American History 2nd) |
| Trifecta | 7 with 5, 6 with 3, 5, 6, 8 | $6 ($1 each) | Pays more if a longshot runs third |
Examples only, based on the 4-1 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.
Coach Pope drew post 7 for the 2026 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Gaudreau (#2) scratched, leaving a field of seven.
Coach Pope is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line. Live prices: our Breeders' Cup odds page.
Jose Ortiz rides for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Yes. He was second, beaten a length, in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 3, at the Juvenile distance.
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.
