This is a bad week for the Future Wager if you like anyone in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), Wood Memorial (gr. I), or Illinois Derby (gr. II). The only way you can get a decent price in those races is if you happen to like a horse who gets beat and feel he might move forward off it.
With wagering beginning today on the second of three pools in the 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Steve Haskin, senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, analyzes the 23 individual horses and mutuel field and their respective morning-line odds.
Churchill Downs has established the dates for its wagering pools for the 2004 Kentucky Derby (KDFW) and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers (KOFW). The Oaks wager, which is entering its second year, will be offered in three pools for the first time.
Handle on the inaugural Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Future Bet totaled $173,844 over the holiday weekend, with Street Cry the early 4-1 favorite for the Classic, Azeri the 5-2 favorite for the Distaff, and the "field" the 9-2 betting pick in the Sprint.
Harlan's Holiday closed as the 7-1 favorite in pool three of the Kentucky Derby future wager which closed at 5:30 (EDT) Sunday. Johannesburg, who suffered his first career defeat in Ireland Sunday, was next at 8-1, just ahead of Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Came Home.
As pool three of the Kentucky Derby future wager offered by Churchill Downs enters its stretch run, a pair of contenders have crept closer to early leader Johannesburg. After day three of the four-day event, Johannesburg remains favored, but his odds have drifted up to 6-1, with Came Home (7-1) and Harlan's Holiday (8-1) next in line.
Johannesburg remains favored in pool three of the Kentucky Derby future wager despite drifting up to 5-1 at the close of Friday's wagering after beginning the day at 4-1.
Odds for Coolmore's Johannesburg drifted slightly in day two of the Kentucky Derby future wager and are currently at 9-2. The first day of pool two wagering closed with the undefeated Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner at 7-2.
Pool two of the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) future wager closed at 4:30 p.m.(EST) Sunday, prior to the running of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II), with Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Monarchos the 5-1 favorite. Point Given was the narrow 6-1 second choice, with slightly more money wagered on the Bob Baffert-trained colt than the mutuel field, which also closed at 6-1.
The second of three pools in Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager is underway and it will offer the first opportunity for racing fans in Arizona to attempt to select the winner of Kentucky Derby 127 weeks in advance of the race.
The second of three pools in Churchill Downs' 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager is scheduled to open Thursday, March 8. The mutuel field, which represents all 3-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the 23 individual horses listed in the pool, is expected to again attract strong support.
The defection of Macho Uno, the co-third choice on the original list of Churchill Downs' 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 wagering interests at 10-1, and the addition of Songandaprayer have prompted track oddsmaker Mike Battaglia to adjust his morning line for the Future Wager pool. Songandaprayer has been installed at 30-1 in Pool 1, while the odds of three other horses have been adjusted downward. A P Valentine had been installed at odds of 12-1 and is now listed at 10-1,
