Big things are expected of Coach Pope, both the University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach and the promising 2-year-old who made his stakes debut on Saturday at Keeneland.
Mark Pope was a captain of the University of Kentucky’s 1996 National Championship team and now serves as head coach of one of college basketball’s marquee program. He joined trainer Kenny McPeek at Keeneland Oct. 3 to watch Coach Pope, a bay 2-year-old Tapit colt coming off a dominant win, compete in a memorable edition of the $648,125 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity.
While Coach Pope was passed in the final yards of a runner-up finish in the qualifying race for the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, his future remains bright and he should be among the leading contenders for the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Oct. 30 at Keeneland.
