Field Remains Favored in Derby Future Pool

(from Churchill Downs reports)
The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) did nothing to clear a muddled Kentucky Derby picture, so the mutuel field – all betting interests other than the 22 remaining individual interests – continued to be the favorite with one day remaining in Churchill Downs' finalKentucky Derby Future Wager pool.

The mutuel field stood as the 7-1 fan's choice at the end of Saturday's wagering in the four-day pool. None of the individual entries won any of Saturday's three Kentucky Derby prep races. The most notable member of that group was Castledale, who withstood a steward's inquiry to score a 30-1 upset in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). Owned by TVG racing analyst Frank Lyons and Greg Knee, the Irish-bred son of Peintre Celebre defeated five of Pool 3's individual betting interests. That group included Imperialism (awarded 2nd via disqualification and 14-1 in Pool 3); Rock Hard Ten (DQ'ed to 3rd/13-1); Quintons Gold Rush (4th/50-1); Wimbledon (5th/12-1); and St Averil (6th/17-1).

Edgewood Farm's Pollard's Vision, also a member of the mutuel field, won the Illinois Derby (gr. II) over Song of the Sword, a Pool 3 individual betting interest who stood at 88-1 at the end of Saturday's betting. Mutuel field member Kaufy Mate, who is not nominated to the Kentucky Derby, won Gulfstream Park's Aventura Stakes.

Real Time Future Wager Odds

Eddington and Smarty Jones stood as the 10-1 second choices, followed by Wimbledon and Rock Hard Ten.

Total wagering on KDFW Pool 3 stood at $184,816 after three days of betting. Wagering on Sunday concludes at 6:30 p.m.
2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager – pool 3
1. Action This Day 27-1
2. Birdstone 15-1
3. Borrego 23-1
4. Eddington 10-1
5. Eurosilver SUSP.
6. Friends Lake* 22-1
7. Imperialism 14-1
8. Limehouse 29-1
9. Lion Heart 14-1
10. Master David 18-1
11. Minister Eric 29-1
12. Preachinatthebar* 22-1
13. Quintons Gold Rush* 50-1
14. Read The Footnotes 14-1
15. Rock Hard Ten 13-1
16. Sinister G* 51-1
17. Smarty Jones* 10-1
18. Song of the Sword* 88-1
19. St Averil 17-1
20. Tapit 29-1
21. The Cliff's Edge 15-1
22. Value Plus 27-1
23. Wimbledon 12-1
24. All Other 3YO's 7-1
* -- New wagering interest in Pool 3

Two-year-old filly champion Halfbridled, scratched from Saturday's Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland, remained the 5-1 favorite with just one day of wagering to go in the final pool of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.

The daughter of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled was pulled from the Ashland on Friday by trainer Richard Mandella after she "tied up" while training at Keeneland. The Wertheimer Farm homebred returned to the track on Saturday and Mandella reiterated that she could run either in Keeneland's Stonerside Beaumont at "about" seven furlongs on April 8 or train up to the Oaks.

The mutuel field, which is comprised of all 3-year-old fillies other than the 23 individual horses in Pool 3, checked in as the 7-1 second choice. Madcap Escapade, a daughter of Hennessy who scored a front-running win in the Ashland, saw her KOFW Pool 3 odds surprisingly climb to 8-1. The Frank Brothers-trained filly is unbeaten in four starts. The Ashland was her first win around two turns.

Racing fans have wagered $20,084 through three days of the final KOFW pool. Wagering closes Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

Other wagering interests that continued to attract significant support on Saturday included Ashland runner-up Ashado and Bob & Beverly Lewis' once-beaten A.P. Adventure, each at 9-1. Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) winner Silent Sighs dropped from 14-1 to 12-1 and La Reina, fourth in the Ashland, finished Saturday's wagering at 14-1.

The 130th running of the Kentucky Oaks is slated for Friday, April 30. More information and real time odds on the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager are available at www.kentuckyoaks.com.
2004 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager – Pool 3
1. A.P. Adventure 9-1
2. Ashado 9-1
3. Bohemian Lady 43-1
4. Class Above 34-1
5. Daydreaming 38-1
6. Elusive Diva 38-1
7. Ender's Sister 47-1
8. Galloping Gal 50-1
9. Halfbridled 5-1
10. Hollywood Story 17-1
11. House of Fortune 20-1
12. Irish Melody 24-1
13. Island Sand 68-1
14. La Reina 14-1
15. Last Song 27-1
16. Madcap Escapade 8-1
17. Miss Coronado 22-1
18. Shadow Cast 81-1
19. Silent Sighs 12-1
20. Stellar Jayne 59-1
21. Victory U.S.A. 35-1
22. Wildwood Flower 52-1
23. Yearly Report 23-1
24. All Other 3YO Fillies 7-1