Upsets Shake Up Derby, Oaks Future Pools

(from Churchill Downs reports)
A string of major upsets in Saturday's preps for the 130th running of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) May 1 helped solidify the mutuel field's grip on the favorite's role heading into the final day of Pool 2 of Churchill Downs' 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

The field – wagering interest that includes all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses listed in the pool – stood as a 7-1 favorite at the end of Saturday's betting following a day of surprises.

Saturday's upset winners included Friends Lake ($76.80), a member of the KDFW mutuel field who won the Florida Derby (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park as even-money favorite Read the Footnotes finished fourth. Wynn Dot Comma ($10), another member of the Pool 2 mutuel field, held off favored Eurosilver in the Swale (gr. III). Kilgowan ($55.80) surged past favored Seattle Borders and Skipaslew to win the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields. And Silent Sighs ($15.40) handed 2-year-old filly champion Halfbridled – a member of both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future pools – the first loss of her career in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I).

James McInvale's Wimbledon, who burst onto the Kentucky Derby scene last week with a win in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), remained the second choice at 9-1 at the end of the third of four days of Pool 2 betting. Next in line were Marylou Whitney's Birdstone (10-1); the Michael Dickinson-trained Tapit, whose odds dropped to 12-1 despite a sixth-place finish in the Florida Derby, and Eurosilver (13-1).

Real Time Future Wager Odds

A total of $124,623 had been wagered through three days of KDFW Pool 2, which included betting of $64,249 on Saturday. Wagering on the pool's final day will conclude at 6:30 p.m. EST.

2004 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER – POOL 2
(#) Wagering Interest Odds
1. Action This Day 18-1
2. Birdstone 10-1
3. Borrego 20-1
4. Eddington 15-1
5. Eurosilver 13-1
6. Fire Slam 60-1
7. Gradepoint 34-1
8. Halfbridled 21-1
9. Imperialism 20-1
10. Limehouse 39-1
11. Lion Heart 15-1
12. Master David 17-1
13. Minister Eric 41-1
14. Mr. Jester 47-1
15. Read the Footnotes 15-1
16. Redskin Warrior 45-1
17. Rock Hard Ten 16-1
18. St Averil 29-1
19. Swingforthefences 46-1
20. Tapit 12-1
21. The Cliff's Edge 22-1
22. Value Plus 23-1
23. Wimbledon 9-1
24. All Other 3YO's 7-1

Saturday's two major preps for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) had a significant impact on the Future Wager. Although Wertheimer Farm's Halfbridled, who suffered her first career loss in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), remained a lukewarm 7-2 favorite, Bruce Lunsford's surging Madcap Escapade dropped to 5-1after a dominating win in Gulfstream Park's Stonerside Forward Gal (gr. II).

The Richard Mandella-trained Halfbridled saw her odds rise from 3-1 following her upset loss to Silent Sighs at Santa Anita. She finished second in her first start since winning last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). Meanwhile, Madcap Escapade won for the third time in as many starts with a 4 ¾-length triumph at Gulfstream. She started the day at odds of 11-1.

Not surprisingly, the biggest mover of the day was the California-bred Silent Sighs. Odds on the Julio Canani-trained daughter of Benchmark plummeted from 62-1 to 19-1 after she defeated Halfbridled.

Wagering on the Oaks will close Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST.

With one day remaining in the Oaks Future Wager, Thoroughbred racing fans have wagered $20,289, almost triple what was in the pool after Friday's betting concluded.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Ashado, an impressive winner of last week's Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), closed Saturday's betting at 6-1. Robert & Beverly Lewis' A.P. Adventure, who suffered her first loss in a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Oaks, saw her odds climb from 9-1 to 10-1. The mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-old fillies other than the 22 individual horses in Pool 2, saw its odds climb from 7-1 to 10-1.

2004 KENTUCKY OAKS FUTURE WAGER – POOL 2
(#) Wagering Interest Odds
1. A.P. Adventure 10-1
2. Ashado 6-1
3. Class Above 48-1
4. Daydreaming 43-1
5. Ender's Sister 72-1
6. Eye Dazzler OUT
7. Friendly Michelle 31-1
8. Galloping Gal 34-1
9. Halfbridled 7-2
10. Hollywood Story 39-1
11. House of Fortune 30-1
12. La Reina 23-1
13. Last Song 23-1
14. Madcap Escapade 5-1
15. Miss Coronado 21-1
16. Rare Gift 80-1
17. Salty Romance 80-1
18. Shadow Cast 80-1
19. Slient Sighs 19-1
20. Society Selection 50-1
21. Stellar Jayne 27-1
22. Victory U.S.A. 28-1
23. Yearly Report 22-1
24. All Other 3YO Fillies 10-1