Kentucky Derby Future Pool 4: McCraken tepid choice at 5-1
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – McCraken was a lukewarm favorite amid a scrambled outlook when the fourth and final pool of the 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern.
McCraken, who will have his final Derby prep Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, closed at 5-1, just ahead of Always Dreaming (6-1), Gunnevera (9-1), Classic Empire (10-1), Tapwrit (10-1), and the mutuel field (11-1), the 24th or “all others” option. The lowest $2 exacta will-pay is the combination of McCraken over Gunnevera (15-10), worth $72.20
The sharpest odds drop during the three-day wagering window involved Always Dreaming, who was 22-1 just minutes before his five-length triumph in the Florida Derby on Saturday.
Conversely, bettors apparently were unmoved by Girvin winning the Louisiana Derby on Saturday: he was 18-1 prior to his 1 1/4-length victory and closed Sunday at 17-1.
Combined handle on Pool 4 was $440,510, with $294,665 bet to win and $145,845 in exactas. That total is up 1 percent over the $435,357 bet into the corresponding pool in 2016.
Aggregate handle for the first four pools, including the Derby Sires wager that coincided with Pool 1, was $1,409,856. The record for aggregate handle for an entire year remains $1,665,990, set in 2005. Churchill Downs has offered parimutuel futures annually since 1999.
The mutuel field closed as the favorite in the first three pools, which were held Nov. 24-27, Jan. 27-29, and Feb. 24-26.
The 143rd Kentucky Derby is set for May 6. A handful of prep races remain, including the Blue Grass, Wood Memorial, Santa Anita Derby, and Arkansas Derby.
Kentucky Derby Futures Pool 4 odds
(No., Horse, Trainer, P4, P3, P2, P1)
1. Always Dreaming, T.Pletcher, 6-1, 42-1, 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
2. Battalion Runner, T.Pletcher, 26-1, 34-1, 22-1, 6-5(f)
3. Battle of Midway, J.Hollendorfer, 64-1, 5-1(f), 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
4. Classic Empire, M.Casse, 10-1, 11-1, 5-1, 6-1
5. Cloud Computing, C.Brown, 28-1, 5-1(f), 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
6. El Areeb, C.Lynch, SCR, 20-1, 32-1, 6-5(f)
7. Girvin, J.Sharp, 17-1, 5-1(f), 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
8. Gormley, J.Shirreffs, 42-1, 18-1, 19-1, 37-1
9. Guest Suite, N.Howard, 101-1, 60-1, 31-1, 6-5(f)
10. Gunnevera, A.Sano, 9-1, 22-1, 24-1, 22-1
11. Iliad, D.O’Neill, 29-1, 24-1, 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
12. Irish War Cry, G.Motion, 21-1, 7-1, 26-1, 26-1
13. J Boys Echo, D.Romans, 21-1, 5-1(f), 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
14. Malagacy, T.Pletcher, 16-1, 53-1, 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
15. McCraken, I.Wilkes, 5-1, 6-1, 9-1, 12-1
16. Mo Town, A.Dutrow, 38-1, 27-1, 15-1, 12-1
17. One Liner, T.Pletcher, 18-1, 12-1, 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
18. Practical Joke, C.Brown, 25-1, 19-1, 20-1, 26-1
19. Reach the World, B.Baffert, 28-1, 5-1(f), 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
20. State of Honor, M.Casse, 47-1, 198-1, 175-1, 6-5(f)
21. Tapwrit, T.Pletcher, 10-1, 22-1, 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
22. Thunder Snow, S.binSuroor, 23-1, 5-1(f), 5-2(f), 6-5(f)
23. Untrapped, S.Asmussen, 72-1, 5-1(f), 105-1, 6-5(f)
24. Mutuel field, n/a, 11-1, 5-1, 5-2, 6-5
(f)-mutuel field entry.
Win pool, $294,665\
Exacta pool, $145,845
Total handle, $440,510