Balance Still Favored in Oaks Future Wager

Amerman Racing's Balance remained the favorite as the final Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool of 2006 closed on Sunday in spite of her upset loss a day earlier to Bushfire in the Ashland Stakes (gr I) at Keeneland.

The David Hofmans-trained Balance, a daughter of 1995 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Thunder Gulch, floated up some but stood as the 4-1 favorite in KOFW Pool 3. She was soundly beaten in a third place finish in the Ashland, but had scored grade I victories earlier in the year in Santa Anita's Las Virgenes and the Santa Anita Oaks.

Close behind Balance at 8-1 was Wild Fit, who finished behind Balance in both of those Santa Anita races and also finished a fast-closing second to eventual champion Folklore in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) last fall at Belmont Park. The third choice in the pool was Bushfire, the Ashland winner whose odds dropped sharply to 9-1 in Sunday's Oaks' betting. The daughter of Louis Quatorze was still a 35-1 risk as betting on the third day of the pool closed a few hours after her upset victory.

Pool 3 wagering totaled $51,212, the largest total in the pool since the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager adopted a three-pool format in 2004. Total betting in the three 2006 pools rose to $171,814, which fell just short of last year's record three-pool total of $172,479.

The mutuel field was the 7-2 favorite in Pool 1 of the Oaks Future Wager, which was conducted in late January. Pool 2 in early March ended with the mutuel field as the 9-2 favorite and Wild Fit and Balance as co-second choices at 7-1. The field ended at 12-1 in Pool 3.

The 132nd running of the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) is May 5 at Churchill Downs.

2006 KENTUCKY OAKS FUTURE WAGER POOL 3 – FINAL
No. Filly, Odds, $2 Payout
1. Adieu, 20-1, $43.80
2. Balance, 4-1, $10.00
3. *Brownie Points (n), 36-1, $75.40
4. *Bushfire, 9-1, $21.20
5. Celestial Legend, 38-1, $78.60
6. Crystal Current, 27-1, $57.00
7. Diplomat Lady, 42-1, $86.80
8. *Ermine, 19-1, $40.60
9. Ex Caelis, 18-1, $39.00
10. French Park, OUT
11. India, 32-1, $67.40
12. Itty Bitty Pretty, 22-1, $47.60
13. *Miraculous Miss, 26-1, $54.80
14. *Quiet Kim, 24-1, $50.20
15. *Ready to Please, 45-1, $92.40
16. Sweet Belle, 91-1, $185.00
17. *Sweet Fourty, 43-1, $88.00
18. Sweet Sugaree, 66-1, $134.40
19. *Teammate, 10-1, $22.40
20. *Top Notch Lady (n), 20-1, $42.40
21. Wait A While, 15-1, $32.00
22. Wild Fit, 8-1, $19.00
23. Wonder Lady Anne L, 21-1, $45.00
24. All Other 3YO fillies, 12-1, $26.00
Total: $51,212
*New wagering interest in Pool 3
(n) Not nominated