With the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) 12 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of "All Other 3-Year-Olds" closed as the 5-2 favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, while champion 2-year-old male and Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Good Magic and multiple grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro were the co-second betting choices at 8-1.
The "All Other 3-Year-Olds" betting option has been the favorite in the first pool of the new year since the KDFW was introduced in 1999.
The Kentucky Derby will be run May 5 at Churchill Downs.
Other horses who attracted interest from bettors in the KDFW Pool 2 were the Bob Baffert-trained Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (G1) and Sham Stakes (G3) winner McKinzie (9-1) and the Todd Pletcher-trained Holy Bull Stakes (G2) winner Audible (9-1).
Horses in order of favoritism were: "All Others" (5-2), Bolt d'Oro (8-1), Good Magic (8-1), McKinzie (9-1), Audible (9-1), Catholic Boy (16-1), Instilled Regard (18-1), Solomini (19-1), Mask (22-1), Avery Island (27-1), Principe Guilherme (30-1), Mourinho (31-1), Sporting Chance (33-1), Free Drop Billy (36-1), Strike Power (40-1), Untamed Domain (41-1), Copper Bullet (43-1), Mendelssohn (44-1), Enticed (62-1), Firenze Fire (63-1), Retirement Fund (67-1), Tiz Mischief (71-1), Combatant (72-1), and Montauk (wagering suspended).
The KDFW enables bettors to wager on possible Kentucky Derby contenders in advance at odds that could be more attractive than those available on the day of the race. There are no scratches or refunds, but Churchill Downs officials can suspend wagering on a horse if an injury is suffered or another circumstance becomes public that would prevent the horse from competing in the Kentucky Derby. That was the case with Montauk, who was sidelined Feb. 9 by a throat issue.
Total handle for the Feb. 9-11 KDFW pool—the second of four wagering pools in advance of the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby—was $521,650 ($363,389 in the win pool and $158,262 in exactas), which was a 58.1% increase over last year's $330,043 ($227,881 in the win pool and $102,162 in exactas).
Dates for the remaining Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) future pools are March 9-11 (KDFW Pool 3 and Kentucky Oaks Future Wager) and April 6-8 (KDFW Pool 4).