Kentucky Derby 2021: With an assist from Mattress Mack, Essential Quality even-money in Friday wagering

LOUISVILLE, Ky, - Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale has set his plan in motion, and the early Kentucky Derby odds are reflecting it.

McIngvale is running a promotion at his popular buiness, Gallery Furniture, that will repay customers who purchase a mattress set for $3,000 or more if the Kentucky Derby favorite wins. The expected favorite all along has been Essential Quality, and with McIngvale hedging his promotion by betting several million to win on him, Essential Quality’s position of Derby favorite is assured.

Churchill Downs publicity announced Friday that McIngvale had made the first of several wagers that could total $3 million or $4 million Friday afternoon, placing a $500,000 bet that knocked Essential Quality’s odds down to 3-5. His price rebounded somewhat thereafter but Essential Quality at 7:15 p.m. Eastern was the 1-1 favorite in a prospective field reduced to 19 with the Friday scratch of King Fury.

With the win pool approaching $1.5 million, Rock Your World, winner of the Santa Anita Derby, was second choice at 9-2 with Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie the next-lowest price at 8-1. Those were the only horses at single-digit win odds. The prices, listed in Friday odds order, were:

Essential Quality, 1-1

Rock Your World, 9-2

Hot Rod Charlie, 8-1

Medina Spirit, 17-1

Known Agenda, 18-1

Midnight Bourbon, 18-1

Highly Motivated, 18-1

Soup and Sandwich, 35-1

Bourbonic, 37-1

Hidden Stash, 44-1

Mandaloun, 44-1

Sainthood, 47-1

Dynamic One, 51-1

Super Stock, 50-1

O Besos, 52-1

Helium, 57-1

Keepmeinmind, 61-1

Brooklyn Strong, 65-1

Like the King, 69-1

King Fury, scratched