Journalism closes as favorite in latest Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool

Journalism, the 3-year-old colt who produced a 108 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the recent San Felipe Stakes, ended up as the 5-1 favorite in the fifth Kentucky Derby Future Wager when the pool closed on Sunday night.

Journalism, who has had one start this year and is targeting the Santa Anita Derby as his final prep, had been tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the pool. Sovereignty, the recent winner of the Fountain of Youth, wound up as the second choice at 7-1, with Citizen Bull the third choice (9-1) and the entry of “all other 3-year-olds” at 10-1.

American Promise, the runaway winner of the $500,000 Virginia Derby on Saturday, was not an individual entry in the weekend’s pool. American Promise earned 50 points toward eligibility for the Derby field, a number that is generally enough to get in the gate.

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Churchill Downs also held the sole Kentucky Oaks future pool this weekend, with undefeated Good Cheer settling in as the heavy 2-1 favorite. Tenma was a distant 13-1 second choice, with “all other 3-year-old fillies" as the third choice at 14-1. Fondly, winner of Saturday’s Virginia Oaks, was 19-1.

Betting was relatively strong for both pools, with Derby Future Wager handle up 28.5 percent compared to last year’s fifth pool and Oaks handle up 14.7 percent.

The final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool will be held April 3-5, the date of the Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby.

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