Kentucky Derby 2021: Hot Rod Charlie makes future-wager backers look smart
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bettors sharp enough to back Hot Rod Charlie in some of the earlier pools in the 2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager bought themselves wagering value ahead of the 147th Derby.
As a separately listed interest in all five futures pools offered by Churchill Downs, Hot Rod Charlie had closing odds of 34-1, 40-1, 35-1, and 53-1 before he won the March 20 Louisiana Derby, after which he was 12-1 in the final pool. He figures as no worse than fourth choice Saturday and is 8-1 on the morning line.
Five futures pools were offered for this year’s Derby: Nov. 26-29, Jan. 22-24, Feb. 12-14, March 5-7, and March 26-28. Churchill has offered parimutuel futures annually since 1999.
Besides Hot Rod Charlie, other notable overlays in Pool 1 were Super Stock (103-1), King Fury (60-1), and Midnight Bourbon (59-1).
Other futures bargains include Mandaloun at 42-1 in Pool 2; Medina Spirit at 39-1 in Pool 4; and Rock Your World at 31-1 in Pool 5.
Essential Quality, the 2-1 program favorite for the Derby, closed at 8-1 in each of the first three pools.
The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, was favored as usual in the first three pools. In sequential order, the odds on the field were 6-5, 9-5, 3-1, 7-1, 5-1.
Underlays and dropouts are easier to uncover in an analysis of the futures, particularly Life Is Good, who was just 2-1 in Pool 4 before being sidelined by injury.
Besides Hot Rod Charlie, there were four other separately listed horses in all five pools, with three of those making the race – Essential Quality, Highly Motivated, and Midnight Bourbon. The only one to miss was Caddo River.
Cumulative handle on the five pools, along with three additional pools – the sires futures, the Kentucky Oaks futures, and the Oaks-Derby Double – totaled $1,847,539.
The sires futures, which coincided with Pool 1, had Into Mischief (three starters Saturday) as the 4-1 favorite over the field (nine starters) at 5-1. Tapit (one starter, Essential Quality) and Curlin (two starters) were next at 11-1 and 12-1.