10 newcomers to Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Ten new names are in the lineup for Pool 2 of the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens Friday at noon Eastern for the customary three-day run.

The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, has been pegged as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in Pool 2 by Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia, with Tiz the Law the shortest individually listed interest at 8-1. Next are Independence Hall (10-1), Dennis’ Moment (12-1), Nadal (12-1), Authentic (15-1), Maxfield (15-1), and Thousand Words (15-1).

The new names for Pool 2 are Chance It, Enforceable, Exaulted, Gold Street, Max Player, Nadal, Palm Springs, Premier Star, Silver State, and Violent City.

Pool 1 individuals now in the field for Pool 2 are American Theorem, Answer In, Eight Rings, Great Power, Green Light Go, High Velocity, Scabbard, South Bend and Wrecking. A “filly only” option was exclusive to Pool 1 as No. 23.

Win and exacta wagering are available, with odds and will-pays locked in only when the pool closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern.

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The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs is the only Derby qualifying-points prep to be held concurrent with Pool 2.

Pool 2 individuals Storm the Court and Nadal run Sunday at Santa Anita in the San Vicente, a non-points race. In any event, Pool 2 will have closed before the San Vicente is run at about 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

This is the 22nd year that Churchill has offered parimutuel futures. The field has closed as the favorite every year in a pool held at this time of year. In each of the last five years, the field has closed at 5-2 in Pool 2.

The field closed as the even-money favorite in Pool 1, which was held Nov. 28-Dec. 1 in tandem with the Derby Sires Future Wager. Combined Pool 1 handle was $350,312, with another $45,438 bet in the sires wager.

Pool 3 is set for March 6-8 and Pool 4 for April 3-5. The lone Kentucky Oaks futures pool will coincide with Pool 3.

Last year, when Pool 2 also was held in early February, the field included the eventual Derby winner, Country House. Game Winner (5-1) closed as the lowest individual choice, followed by Hidden Scroll and Improbable at 7-1 each. Combined handle was $533,977, up 2.4 percent from the corresponding pool in 2018.

The record for handle in a single pool is $631,304, set in 2012, while the record for aggregate handle in a single year was $1,893,353, set in 2018.

The record futures payoff for a $2 win bet was set on Funny Cide ($188) in the second of three pools in 2003.

Real-time odds and will-pays are available through various modes, including on television monitors at tracks and wagering outlets, as well as at kentuckyderby.com.

In the case of field horses filling both exacta slots, the next-best finish by a separately listed horse will count toward the winning combination.

Composition of the 23-horse futures lineups is decided by an in-house Churchill panel.

The 146th Kentucky Derby will be run May 2.