The mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses listed as wagering interests in the pool, has been installed as the 5-1 favorite for Pool 2 by Churchill Downs handicapper Mike Battaglia. The "all others" wagering interest stood as the 3-1 favorite in KDFW Pool 1, which ran from Jan. 26-29.

Cecil Peacock's Brother Derek, winner of the Hollywood Futurity (Grade I) and the San Rafael (gr. III), is listed as the favored individual horse and a close 6-1 second choice in Battaglia's morning line. The California-bred son of Benchmark, who closed at odds of 16-1 in the year's opening Derby Futures pool, is scheduled to compete in Sunday's Santa Catalina (gr. II) at Santa Anita. The Dan Hendricks-trained colt emerged as the top West Coast contender for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) when injury sidelined 2005 2-year-old champion Stevie Wonderboy.

Wagering in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens at noon (all times Eastern) on Thursday, March 2 at racetracks and simulcast centers across North America. Wagering will continue through 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 5. January's opening pool of the 2006 Derby Future Bet was one of the most successful in the wager's eight-year history. Derby fans in the United States and Canada wagered $552,627 on Pool 1, which ranks as the third highest total for the KDFW's opening pool and the third largest individual pool total in Derby Futures history.

Other major Derby contenders featured in KDFW Pool 2 include Holy Bull (gr. III) winner Barbaro, who is listed as the third choice in the morning line at 8-1. Champagne (gr. I) winner First Samurai, the 7-1 favored individual wagering interest in Pool 1, is the 10-1 fourth choice in the early odds for Pool 2. Also listed at 10-1 are Bluegrass Cat, the Todd Pletcher-trained winner of the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, and Bob and John, winner of Santa Anita's Sham Stakes for three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert. Southwest Stakes winner Lawyer Ron, Kentucky Jockey Club (gr. II) and Belmont Futurity (gr. I) winner Private Vow, and Hutcheson (gr. II) winner Keyed Entry are each listed at 15-1.

"Some major Kentucky Derby contenders have strengthened their credentials with big efforts in their early races as 3-year-olds, but the mutuel field is always strong in Pool 2 of the Future Wager and I don't expect that to change," said Battaglia. "Some big prep races on both coasts over the weekend could shake up the odds a bit, but there's still enough mystery in the Derby picture that I think 'all others' will again end up as the fans' choice."

Pool 2 of the Derby Future Wager includes nine horses that were not listed among the wagering interests in the year's opening pool. The new betting interests include Corinthian, Great Point, Latent Heat, My Golden Song, Noonmark, Really Indian, Steppenwolfer, Strong Contender, and Sweetnorthernsaint.

Horses dropped as wagering interests from the year's opening pool include A.P. Warrior, Blazing Rate, Doctor Decherd, Half Ours, Henny Hughes, High Cotton, Sorcerer's Stone, Stevie Wonderboy, and Your Tent Or Mine.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager offers racing fans the opportunity to bet on Derby contenders well in advance of the famed "Run for the Roses" at odds that could be more attractive than they would receive on Derby Day. It is a minimum $2 wager and a win bet only. There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and winning payouts are determined by the odds that are in place at the conclusion of each pool.

2006 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER POOL 2

Program--Horse Name, ODDS
1--Achilles of Troy, 20-1
2 -- Barbaro, 8-1
3 -- Barbican, 20-1
4--Bluegrass Cat, 10-1
5--Bob and John, 10-1
6--Brother Derek, 6-1
7--Cause to Believe, 30-1
8 -- Corinthian, 50-1
9--First Samurai, 10-1
10--Flashy Bull, 50-1
11--Great Point, 20-1
12 -- Itsallboutthechase, 50-1
13--Keyed Entry, 15-1
14--Latent Heat, 30-1
15--Lawyer Ron, 15-1
16--My Golden Song, 30-1
17 -- Noonmark, 50-1
18--Point Determined, 20-1
19--Private Vow, 15-1
20--Really Indian, 50-1
21 -- Steppenwolfer, 50-1
22--Strong Contender, 20-1
23 -- Sweetnorthernsaint, 30-1
24--All Other 3YO's 5-1

Morning Line Odds by Mike Battaglia

New Wagering Interests in Pool 2: Corinthian, Great Point, Latent Heat, My Golden Song, Noonmark; Really Indian, Steppenwolfer, Strong Contender, Sweetnorthernsaint.