It was a 57th Thoroughbred Daily News ‘Rising Star’ for evergreen superstar sire TAPIT on Saturday when Coach Pope won a Churchill Downs Maiden Special Weight by 12 ½ lengths.
Sent off as the favorite in this one-mile dirt race after finishing second in what has quickly proven to be a stacked field on debut at Saratoga, Coach Pope had a rough start but quickly rebounded. He stuck to an inside position when racing up to pour pressure on the front runner, refusing to give that one a breather.
More than ready to take command with three furlongs left to run, he soon had the lead after making his challenge and the race was all but over. Coach Pope strolled to an easy win with all but one runner more than 15 lengths behind him at the wire.
🏀𝗖𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗢𝗣𝗘 travels to Louisville and secures the blowout W!@jose93_ortiz assists with a confident ride for trainer @KennyMcPeek.#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/wyawVacz9S
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 12, 2026
Sold by Gainesway for $350,000 to trainer Kenny McPeek at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October Sale, Gainesway stayed in as part of the ownership with Shamrock Stables and Michael Mackin.
The Tapit Syndicate bred Coach Pope with Tall Oaks Farm out of the Ghostzapper mare Gamble’s Ghost. That multiple graded stakes winning mare won 10 times overall. This is the third winner from three to race out of Gamble’s Ghost with her TAPIT 4-year-old also winning in 2026.
Gamble’s Ghost is a half-sister to the stakes placed Purrfect Bluff and to the dam of stakes winners Blueblood and Gamble’s Candy with champion Bluebird also on the page.
September has already been a huge month for TAPIT with multiple impressive winners to kick off his Fall.