American Pharoah, Dortmund top Derby Futures Pool 4

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bob Baffert-trained duo of American Pharoah and Dortmund are the top morning-line choices in the fourth and final pool in the 2015 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens Friday at noon Eastern for a three-day run.

Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia has listed American Pharoah as the 9-2 choice in Pool 4 over Dortmund (5-1), with Carpe Diem next at 6-1. Next at 8-1 is the field, the 24th or “all others” entry, followed by Firing Line (12-1) and three horses at 15-1.

The field closed as the favorite in each of the first three pools: at 3-5 in Pool 1, which ran Nov. 28-30; 5-2 in Pool 2 (Feb. 6-8); and 4-1 in Pool 3 (Feb. 27-March 1).

Pool 4 closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern.

There are seven new names in Pool 4: Ami’s Flatter, Bold Conquest, Dubai Sky, Frosted, Madefromlucky, Materiality, and Mubtaahij.

Out from Pool 3 are Danzig Moon, Khozan, Lord Nelson, Ocean Knight, Ocho Ocho Ocho, Texas Red, and The Great War. Only seven horses have been listed in all four pools: American Pharoah, Carpe Diem, Daredevil, Dortmund, El Kabeir, Mr. Z, and Upstart. Frosted was a separately listed entry in the first two pools but was dropped for Pool 3.

Handle on Pool 4 last year was $336,717, which was down 16 percent from the corresponding pool in 2013.

Aggregate handle on the first three pools stands at $1,105,502. The record for aggregate handle is $1,665,990, set in 2005. Aggregate handle for 2014 was $1,324,466.

In Pool 4 last year, the eventual Derby winner, California Chrome, closed at 9-1.

Real-time odds and exacta will-pays are available on selected monitors at tracks and wagering outlets where futures are offered, as well as on kentuckyderby.com. Minimum wagers are $2 to win and $2 for exactas, although $1 boxes or part-wheels may be used to reach that $2 exacta minimum.

This is the 17th year for the future wager. Exacta wagering was added in 2009. In the case of field horses filling both exacta slots, the next-best finish by a separately listed horse counts toward the winning combination.

Lineups are chosen by a five-person committee, all employees of Churchill Downs. Results are predicated on the 141st Derby at Churchill on May 2.