The second of three pools in the 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager will open four days of betting with co-favorites in unbeaten juvenile champion Declan's Moon and the mutuel field, the wagering interest that includes all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses in the March 10-13 pool.Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed Declan's Moon and the mutual field as the 5-1 co-favorites in KDFW Pool 2, which opens at Noon (all times EST) on Thursday and continues through Sunday at 6 p.m. The mutuel field closed as a strong 2-1 favorite in this year's opening pool, which attracted a record single pool betting total of $620,362 during its Feb. 10-13 run. The previous record of $577,889 was wagered during the opening pool of the 2002 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.The Ron Ellis-trained Declan's Moon, a Maryland-bred gelding by Malibu Moon , scored a sharp two-length victory over Pool 2 wagering interests Going Wild and Spanish Chestnut in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Catalina (gr. II) at Santa Anita. The win under jockey Victor Espinoza marked the first start for Declan's Moon since a victory in the Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) wrapped up his Eclipse Award as the 2-year-old champion of 2004."The mutuel field is always a strong bet in the first two pools of the Derby Future Wager, but Declan's Moon was very impressive in winning the Santa Catalina last weekend at Santa Anita and I think he made believers out of a lot of people in that race," said Battaglia. "Afleet Alex looked very good in his 3-year-old debut in the Mountain Valley at Oaklawn Park and High Fly was strong in the Fountain of Youth (gr. II), so both horses should get plenty of support in Pool 2. There are some interesting newcomers in Pool 2 in Noble Causeway, Fusaichi Rock Star and Don't Get Mad, so it will be fun to see how fans see the Derby picture taking shape in Pool 2."Cash Is King Stable LLC's Afleet Alex and Pin Oak Stable's High Fly have been installed as the co-third choices at 10-1 in Battaglia's morning line. Fox Hill Farm's unbeaten Rockport Harbor, who is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Rebel (gr. III) at Oaklawn on March 19, is next at 12-1.The pool includes five new wagering interests that were not included in February's opening KDFW pool -- Don't Get Mad, Fusaichi Rock Star; Golden Shine, Noble Causeway and Scipion.The Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a $2 minimum wager and is a win bet only. It offers racing fans the opportunity to wager on contenders for the Kentucky Derby well in advance of the race at odds that could be better than those they would receive on the day of the race. There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Information on the Kentucky Derby and real time odds on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager are available at the official Kentucky Derby Web site at http://www.kentuckyderby.com .
2005 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER POOL 2
Number/Wagering Interest Morning Line Odds
1. Afleet Alex 10-1
2. Bandini 15-1
3. Consolidator 30-1
4. Declan's Moon 5-1
5. Don't Get Mad* 20-1
6. Fusaichi Rock Star* 15-1
7. Galloping Grocer 30-1
8. Giacomo 30-1
9. Going Wild 20-1
10. Golden Shine* 50-1
11. Greater Good 20-1
12. High Fly 10-1
13. High Limit 20-1
14. Lost In The Fog** 20-1
15. Noble Causeway* 20-1
16. Proud Accolade 20-1
17. Rockport Harbor 12-1
18. Roman Ruler 20-1
19. Scipion* 30-1
20. Spanish Chestnut 30-1
21. Sun King 20-1
22. Sweet Catomine (f) 20-1
23. Wilko 30-1
24. All Other 3YOS 5-1
* new wagering interest in Pool 2
**not nominated to Visa Triple Crown
(f) – filly
Dropped From Pool 1 (5) – Closing Argument, Harlington, Rush Bay, Storm
Surge, Texcess
New In Pool 2 (5) – Don't Get Mad, Fusaichi Rock Star, Golden Shine,
Noble Causeway, Scipion