Derby, Oaks Future Wagers Set for First Round

The most accomplished stars of this year's crop of 3-year-olds--including 2-year-old champion Declan's Moon, 2-year-old filly champion Sweet Catomine, and Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Wilko--are among the 24 wagering interests in the first of three 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools scheduled for Feb. 10-13.

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia installed the mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-olds other than the 23 horses listed as individual betting interests, as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the Derby Future Wager. Wagering begins at noon EST Feb. 10 at racetracks and satellite wagering centers throughout North America and continues through 6 p.m. Feb. 13.

Individual horses expected to attract strong support in Derby Pool 1 include Jay Em Ess Stable's unbeaten juvenile champion Declan's Moon, who is the favored individual horse at 6-1; Fox Hill Farm's unbeaten Rockport Harbor (8-1); Cash Is King Stable's Afleet Alex (12-1), winner of Saratoga's Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) and never worse than second in six races; and Padua Stable's Proud Accolade (12-1), one of last year's top 2-year-olds and an easy winner of Gulfstream Park's Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) in his 2005 debut.

Other horses listed among the 23 individual betting interests in Pool 1 are Marty and Pam Wygod's filly champion Sweet Catomine (20-1), the only filly; Melnyk Racing Stable's unbeaten Harlington (20-1), who will make his stakes debut in the Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) at the Fair Grounds; J. Paul Reddam and Susan Roy's Wilko (30-1); and Harry Aleo's Lost In The Fog (30-1), unbeaten in three sprint starts and the only individual betting interest not currently nominated to the Kentucky Derby and the Visa Triple Crown.

Sweet Catomine is a separate wagering interest in both the opening pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which also will be offered Feb. 10-13. Sweet Catomine is listed as the 4-1 morning-line choice among 24 wagering interests in the Oaks Future Pool 1. Those wagering interests include 23 individual horses and a mutuel field that includes all other 3-year-old fillies.

The mutuel field is the 5-1 second choice in Battaglia's morning line and is the only other wagering interest installed at odds are lower than 10-1.

Wagering Interests for the 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 are:

1. Afleet Alex (12-1)
2. Bandini (30-1)
3. Closing Argument (30-1)
4. Consolidator (20-1)
5. Declan's Moon (6-1)
6. Galloping Grocer (30-1)
7. Giacomo (50-1)
8. Going Wild (30-1)
9. Greater Good (30-1)
10. Harlington (20-1)
11. High Fly (20-1)
12. High Limit (30-1)
13. Lost In The Fog* (30-1)
14. Proud Accolade (12-1)
15. Rockport Harbor (8-1)
16. Roman Ruler (12-1)
17. Rush Bay (50-1)
18. Spanish Chestnut (20-1)
19. Storm Surge (30-1)
20. Sun King (30-1)
21. Sweet Catomine (f) (20-1)
22. Texcess (20-1)
23. Wilko (30-1)
24. All Other 3-Year-Olds (3-1)
*not currently nominated to the VISA Triple Crown

Wagering Interests for the 2005 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager Pool 1 are:

1. Balletto (10-1)
2. Cream Donut Keith (30-1)
3. Culinary (30-1)
4. Hot Attraction (30-1)
5. Hot Storm (50-1)
6. In the Gold (20-1)
7. Inspiring (15-1)
8. Kota (50-1)
9. Maddalena (15-1)
10. More Moonlight (30-1)
11. Play With Fire (50-1)
12. Pussycat Doll (12-1)
13. Quiet Honor (50-1)
14. Right Daddy (50-1)
15. Runway Model (12-1)
16. Salute (20-1)
17. Sense of Style (30-1)
18. Sharp Lisa (12-1)
19. Sis City (10-1)
20. Splendid Blended (10-1)
21. Summerly (30-1)
22. Sweet Catomine (4-1)
23. The Better Man Can (50-1)
24. All Other 3-year-old Fillies (5-1)