Field 9-5 early in Derby future bet

The mutuel field, the 24th or "all others" option, was the slight favorite over 2-year-old champion War Pass after light wagering in the opening hours of Pool 1 of the 2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which began Thursday at noon Eastern wagering outlets throughout North America.

As of 5:10 p.m., and with $22,548 bet into the win-only wager, the field was a 9-5 choice over the 23 separately listed entries. War Pass was a clear-cut second choice at 3-1, followed by Pyro (11-1), Court Vision (18-1), Crown of Thorns (20-1), El Gato Malo (20-1), and Majestic Warrior (22-1).

The field has closed as the Pool 1 favorite every year since Churchill Downs first began offering parimutuel futures in 1999.

Meanwhile, also as of 5:10, wagering into Pool 1 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager was only $1,112, which apparently was an amount too small for Churchill to change the morning-line odds to real-time odds on its official Kentucky Oaks website. The field remained posted as the 5-2 morning-line choice over 21 separately listed entries. By the Light and Sea Chanter already have been withdrawn from consideration.

Wagering into Pool 1 for the Derby closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern, while Oaks Pool 1 closes a half-hour later.

Pool 2 for both the Derby and Oaks is set for March 6-9, and Pool 3 will run April 3-6. The 134th Oaks and Derby will be run May 2 and 3, respectively.