On the strength of his 17 1/2-length victory in Saturday's Wood Memorial (gr. I) at Aqueduct, Kinsman Stable's Bellamy Road emerged from a record-smashing third and final pool of Churchill Downs' 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager as a strong 3-1 favorite to win the famed "Run for the Roses" on May 7. Betting soared to a Pool 3 record of $533,973 as four days of wagering concluded on Sunday at 6 p.m. (EDT). That pushed combined wagering for the three 2005 Derby Future pools to a record $1,665,990. The previous three-pool total in the seven-year-old wager was the $1,503,806 wagered in 2002. Total wagering on each of this year's three pool hit record highs, including a Pool 1 total of $620,362 that is the largest total for a single pool in Derby Future history. Three of the top four betting choices at the end of the four-day pool are conditioned by two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito. Besides Bellamy Road, Zito trains Tracy Farmer's Sun King, the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) winner and the 10-1 second choice, and Live Oak Plantation's High Fly, the winner of the Florida Derby (gr. I) and the 13-l fourth choice. The horse that broke up the Zito parade was Robert and Beverly Lewis' Consolidator, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained winner of the San Felipe (gr. II) and the pool's third choice at 12-1. Mary and Gary West's High Limit, the unbeaten winner of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), and Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor's Bandini were each at 13-1. Slightly more money was wagered on High Limit than on Bandini. Next in line at 15-1 were the mutuel field, which included all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses in Pool 3, and UAE Derby (UAE-II) winner Blues and Royals. Weekend prep races had a significant impact on the pool's final odds. Bellamy Road was a 38-1 risk when Pool 3 betting opened on Saturday, but quickly became the betting favorite after his Wood Memorial romp. Greeley's Galaxy was a 99-1 shot on Saturday, but closed at 31-1 after his runaway victory in the Illinois Derby (gr. II). Fans wagered $263,004 during Sunday's closing session to push the Pool 3 and 2005 combined wagering past their previous record levels.
KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER POOL 3 – FINAL
No. Horse/Total Bet/Odds/$2 Will Pay
1. Afleet Alex/$25,106/16.80/$35.60
2. Bandini/$30,198/13.80/$29.60
3. Bellamy Road*/$100,904/3.40/$8.80
4. Blues and Royals*/$26,733/15.70/$33.40
5. Closing Argument*/$5,707/77.50/$157.00
6. Consolidator/$34,092/12.10/$26.20
7. Don't Get Mad/$6,949/63.50/$129.00
8. Flower Alley*/$12,422/35.10$72.20
9. Galloping Grocer/$3,507/126.80/$255.60
10. Giacomo/$8,648/50.80/$103.60
11. Going Wild/$7,706/57.20/$116.40
12. Greater Good/$25,558/16.50/$35.00
13. Greeley's Galaxy*/$13,727/31.60/$65.20
14. High Fly/$32,033/13.00/$28.00
15. High Limit/$31,391/13.20/$28.40
16. Noble Causeway/$23,604/18.00/$38.00
17. Pavo*/$2,675/166.60/$335.20
18. Rockport Harbor/$22,170/19.20/$40.40
19. Sun King/$39,988/10.20/$22.40
20. Survivalist*/$8,659/50.80/$103.60
21. Sweet Catomine(f)/$12,348/35.30/$72.60
22. Wild Desert*/$11,622/37.50/$77.00
23. Wilko/$20,427/20.90/$43.80
24. All Other 3YO's/$27,799/15.10/$32.20
Pool Total: $533,973
(#) not nominated to Visa Triple Crown
*new Pool 3 wagering interest
(f) filly
