I Want Revenge closes as Pool 3 favorite

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The impressive victory by I Want Revenge in the Wood Memorial was enough to make him the favorite when the third and final pool in the 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern after the customary four-day run.

I Want Revenge closed as the 9-2 choice on the strength of his last-to-first score in the Wood on Saturday. He was followed by Quality Road (6-1), Friesan Fire (8-1), Pioneerof the Nile (9-1), Dunkirk (11-1), and Old Fashioned (12-1).

Wagering on The Pamplemousse was suspended at about 4:50 p.m. Sunday after the colt's connections announced he had been withdrawn from consideration for the May 2 Derby. The Pamplemousse was as low as 9-1 early in the betting and was 15-1 when wagering was suspended on him. There are no refunds in the futures.

Combined handle on Pool 3 was $377,158, with $268,880 being bet to win and $108,278 on exactas. This was just the second parimutuel futures pool offered by Churchill Downs with exacta wagering available.

The combined handle exceeded the $291,835 wagered on Pool 3 in 2008, but was well short of the record $533,973 bet into Pool 3 in 2005. The aggregate total for the three combined pools for 2009 was $1,236,299, fifth-highest in the 11-year history of the futures. The aggregate exceeded the $1,056,520 bet last year but is far off the 2005 record of $1,665,990.

The lowest will-pay for a $2 exacta in Pool 3 was the 9-17 combination of I Want Revenge over Quality Road, which would pay $49.80 if it hits. Quite a few will-pays reached five figures, led by the 15-19 combination of Papa Clem over Take the Points, worth $22,515.80 for $2.

The first two pools were held Feb. 12-15 and March 12-15. The mutuel field, the 24th or "all others" option, closed as the favorite in both of those, at 9-5 and 9-2, respectively.

I Want Revenge could prove a major value for anyone who bet him in Pool 1, when he closed at 54-1. The colt closed at 10-1 in Pool 2 after an impressive win in the Gotham Stakes.

:: )

POOL 3 CLOSING ODDS

No., Horse, Pool 3 odds, Pool 2 odds, Pool 1 odds

1. Charitable Man, 45-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

2. Chocolate Candy, 18-1, 29-1, 28-1

3. Desert Party, 16-1, 17-1, 9-5(f)

4. Dunkirk, 11-1, 7-1, 9-5(f)

5. Flying Private, 77-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

6. Friesan Fire, 8-1, 8-1, 18-1

7. Giant Oak, 53-1, 42-1, 24-1

8. Hold Me Back, 24-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

9. I Want Revenge, 9-2, 10-1, 54-1

10. Imperial Council, 54-1, 20-1, 9-5(f)

11. Mafaaz, 73-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

12. Musket Man, 25-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

13. Mr. Hot Stuff, 96-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

14. Old Fashioned, 12-1, 8-1, 7-1

15. Papa Clem, 47-1, 65-1, 44-1

16. Pioneerof the Nile, 9-1, 12-1, 13-1

17. Quality Road, 6-1, 14-1, 9-5(f)

18. Regal Ransom, 42-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

19. Take the Points, 151-1, 77-1, 9-5(f)

20. Terrain, 47-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

21. The Pamplemousse, SCR, 9-1, 29-1

22. Theregoesjojo, 49-1, 19-1, 9-5(f)

23. Win Willy, 16-1, 9-2(f), 9-5(f)

24. Mutuel field (all others), 17-1, 9-2, 9-5

(f) field

SCR wagering suspended.