From Churchill Downs
Brereton Jones' Proud Spell, winner of the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), and Stonerside Stable's Country Star, a two-time winner in grade I company, are the top choices for the third pool of Churchill Downs' 2008 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which begins four days of betting April 3.
Proud Spell, trained by Larry Jones, has been installed as the narrow 4-1 choice in Pool 3 of the Future Wager by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.
Country Star, a Bobby Frankel-trained daughter of Empire Maker , has not raced in 2008 but was the 5-1 favorite in Pool 2 of the Future Wager that ran from March 6-9. The winner of the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) and Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) is the 5-1 second choice in the Pool 3 morning line. The two fillies are scheduled to meet in the April 5 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.
The Future Wager is a minimum $2 wager and a win bet only. It offers fans the opportunity to bet on contenders for the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at odds that could be greater than those they would receive on the day of the race. There are no refunds. The 134th Kentucky Oaks will be held May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Significant support is expected in Pool 3 for Fox Hill Farm’s streaking Eight Belles, a Larry Jones-trained daughter of Unbridled’s Song whose three-race winning streak includes a victory in the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park. Also expected to take action isLewis G. Lakin, IEAH Stable, and Pegasus Holding Groups’ Pure Clan, who suffered her first career defeat in a runner-up finish in the Honeybee. Both fillies are listed as 8-1 risks in Pool 3 and are expected to meet again in the April 6 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn.
Betting on Pool 3 is scheduled to open at noon EDT April 3. The pool will close at 6:30 p.m. April 6, and winning payouts on the pool will be based on odds that are in place at the conclusion of wagering.
A total of $62,503 was wagered during Pool 2 of the Oaks Future Wager, the largest total for that pool in the five years since the bet went to its three-pool format. A total of $127,722 has been wagered in the first two pools of the 2008 Future Wager.
