Kentucky Derby Future Wager: Field 6-5, Cairo Prince 13-1 after first day of Pool 3

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, was in the familiar spot as favorite after the first full day of betting into Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which began a three-day run Thursday.

With $49,191 resting in the win pool Friday morning, the field was the 6-5 favorite, followed by Cairo Prince (13-1), Bayern (16-1), Honor Code (16-1), Top Billing (16-1), and Shared Belief (19-1). Another $13,866 had been bet in exactas.

Pool 3 coincides with the only Kentucky Oaks pool of the season. The Oaks opened with Onlyforyou as the 7-2 favorite, followed by Untapable (6-1), She’s a Tiger (8-1), Ria Antonia (10-1), Unbridled Forever (11-1), Sweet Reason (12-1), Dame Dorothy (12-1), and the field (17-1). There was $9,725 in the win pool.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Both pools will close Saturday at post time for the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, which is set for 4:17 p.m. Eastern. The Gotham is the only prep race with Derby points (50 to the winner) this weekend.

The field closed as the 4-5 favorite in Pool 1, held Nov. 27-30, and the 3-2 favorite in Pool 2 (Feb. 6-8).

This is the first year Churchill has had four futures pools for the Derby. Last fall, Churchill moved Pool 1 into a preceding year for the first time. Pool 4 will be held in another four weeks, from March 27-29.

Historically, the futures pool held at this time of year (formerly Derby Pool 2 and now Pool 3) has attracted lighter handle than those preceding and following it. Handle on the comparable 2013 pool was $407,038. The record for a comparable pool is $511,655, set in 2005.

Real-time odds and exacta will-pays are available on selected monitors at tracks and wagering outlets where futures are offered, as well as on kentuckyderby.com.

Minimum wagers are $2 to win and $2 for exactas, although $1 boxes or part-wheels may be used to reach that $2 exacta minimum.

As with any parimutuel wager, odds are not locked in until the pool closes. There are no refunds.

The Oaks and Derby will be run May 2 and 3, respectively.

Daily Racing Form will be running past performances of the 23 Derby horses in all print editions through Saturday.