'All others' followed by Life Is Good as top picks in Kentucky Derby Future Wager

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, was as usual a decisive favorite in the first of five pools toward the 2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which closed Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern after a four-day wagering window.

With $191,984 in the win pool, the field closed at 6-5 and was followed by Life Is Good (5-1), Essential Quality (8-1), Jackie’s Warrior (18-1), Highly Motivated (18-1), and Keepmeinmind (19-1). The 23rd option, “any filly,” closed at 56-1.

Another $57,347 was bet in exactas, making for a combined handle of $249,331, down 29 percent from the $350,312 bet into Pool 1 toward the 2020 Derby. The lowest $2 exacta will-pay combination of Life Is Good over the field (11-24) is worth $43.20.

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This is the 23rd year Churchill Downs has offered parimutuel futures, and the field has closed as the favorite in Pool 1 every time.

Pool 1 coincided with wagering into the Derby Sires wager, which was offered for the sixth year. With $47,567 in combined handle, up marginally from last year ($47,082), the red-hot Into Mischief closed as a 4-1 favorite over the field (5-1) and Tapit (6-1).

Churchill has offered four futures pools in recent years, although there were seven pools toward the 2020 Derby because of the race being postponed from May to September due to the pandemic.

This is the first time for five pools. Pool 2 is set for Jan. 22-24, Pool 3 for Feb. 12-14, Pool 4 for March 5-7, and Pool 5 for March 26-28. The Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Pool 4.

Last year in Pool 1, the eventual winner of the 2020 Derby, Authentic, was 50-1; he was one of just four horses to be listed as a separate interest in all seven pools. The “filly only” interest closed at 57-1, with no filly winding up in the Derby. The field was the 11-10 favorite.

The record for handle in a single pool remains $631,304, set in 2012 (Pool 2).

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.

The 147th Kentucky Derby will be run May 1, 2021.

2021 KENTUCKY DERBY POOL 1
(No., Horse, Trainer, Odds)

1. Caddo River, B. Cox, 27-1
2. Dr. Schivel, L. Mendez, 72-1
3. Essential Quality, B. Cox, 8-1
4. Fire At Will, M. Maker, 30-1
5. Get Her Number, P. Miller, 64-1
6. Highly Motivated, C. Brown, 18-1
7. Hot Rod Charlie, D. O’Neill, 34-1
8. Jackie’s Warrior, S. Asmussen, 18-1
9. Keepmeinmind, R. Diodoro, 19-1
10. King Fury, K. McPeek, 60-1
11. Life Is Good, B. Baffert, 5-1
12. Midnight Bourbon, S. Asmussen, 59-1
13. Pickin’ Time, K. Breen, 96-1
14. Red Flag, J. Shirreffs, 35-1
15. Reinvestment Risk, C. Brown, 35-1
16. Rombauer, M. McCarthy, 88-1
17. Savile Row, B. Baffert, 36-1
18. Scarred, S. Asmussen, 49-1
19. Sittin On Go, D. Romans, 68-1
20. Speaker’s Corner, B. Mott, 29-1
21. Super Stock, S. Asmussen, 103-1
22. Ten for Ten, S. McGaughey, 51-1
23. Any 3-year-old filly, n/a, 56-1
24. Mutuel field, n/a, 6-5

Win handle: $191,984
Exacta handle: $57,347
Total handle: $249,331

2021 KENTUCKY DERBY SIRES FUTURE WAGER
(No., Sire, Odds)

1. American Pharoah, 13-1
2. Bernardini, 36-1
3. Bodemeister, 60-1
4. Candy Ride, 47-1
5. Constitution, 17-1
6. Curlin, 12-1
7. Flatter, 80-1
8. Frosted, 21-1
9. Ghostzapper, 27-1
10. Hard Spun, 24-1
11. Honor Code, 44-1
12. Into Mischief, 4-1
13. Liam’s Map, 49-1
14. Medaglia d’Oro, 35-1
15. Munnings, 47-1
16. Not This Time, 30-1
17. Pioneerof The Nile, 30-1
18. Quality Road, 22-1
19. Street Sense, 25-1
20. Tapit, 6-1
21. Tiznow, 35-1
22. Uncle Mo, 19-1
23. Union Rags, 43-1
24. All other sires, 5-1

Win handle: $33,269
Exacta handle: $14,298
Total handle: $47,567