Kentucky Derby Future Wager: Forbidden Kingdom favored in Pool 4: Oaks wagering offered
Eight new names are among the 23 individual betting interests in the fourth of five pools in the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens Friday along with the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.
Both pools open Friday at noon Eastern, with closing time for Pool 4 set for Sunday at 6 p.m. and the Oaks pool closing 30 minutes later.
Forbidden Kingdom, a romping winner of the San Felipe last weekend, is the 5-1 morning-line favorite for Pool 4, followed at 6-1 by the mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” entity that was favored in each of the first three pools. Smile Happy also is pegged at 6-1, followed by Epicenter (8-1) and Morello (10-1).
The new names for Pool 4 are Charge It, Cyberknife, Ethereal Road, Morello, Pioneer of Medina, Shipsational, Un Ojo, and Zozos.
Gone from Pool 3 are Chasing Time, Commandperformance, God of Love, Happy Boy Rocket, Howling Time, Make It Big, Pappacap, and Slow Down Andy.
:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2022: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more
Three Pool 4 interests will run Saturday in the lone Derby points qualifier of the weekend, the Tampa Bay Derby. They are Charge It, Classic Causeway, and Shipsational. Futures odds are not locked in until the pools close Sunday.
The first three pools were held Nov. 26-29, Jan. 21-23, and Feb. 11-13, with the field closing at odds of 3-5, 9-5, and 2-1, respectively.
As with the first three pools, there are no Bob Baffert trainees listed separately in Pool 4. Baffert has been banned by Churchill Downs from running horses in the Derby the next two years, a policy stemming from his disqualified 2021 winner, Medina Spirit, having tested positive for a medication overage. All Baffert trainees once again are lumped into the field for Pool 4.
The same policy is in place for the Oaks pool, meaning a would-be contender such as Adare Manor, trained by Baffert, is missing from the lineup of 23 individual interests.
The Oaks pool has Echo Zulu as the 4-1 morning-line favorite, followed by Secret Oath (6-1), Kathleen O. (8-1), Nest (8-1), Juju’s Map (10-1), and the field (10-1).
Win and exacta wagering are available in both pools at a $2 minimum ($1 boxes or part-wheels are permitted). An Oaks-Derby double futures pool ($1 minimum) also is offered.
In the case of field horses finishing first and second, the highest-placed horse counts as the bottom half of the exacta.
Last year in Pool 4, Life Is Good closed as the 2-1 favorite, the lowest price ever for an individual horse in March since Churchill Downs began offering parimutuel futures in 1999. While Life Is Good did not make the Derby, the eventual first-place finisher, Medina Spirit, was 39-1 in Pool 4.
Combined Pool 4 handle in 2021 was $322,477, not counting the Oaks-Derby double, which drew an additional $70,727. Combined handle for the Oaks was $78,290. Malathaat, the eventual Oaks winner, was the 7-1 fourth choice behind favored Clairiere (7-2).
Real-time odds and will-pays for both pools are available through various modes, including on television monitors at tracks and wagering outlets, as well as at kentuckyderby.com.
Derby Pool 5 is set for March 31-April 2.
The Oaks will be run May 6 and the Derby on May 7.
Kentucky Derby Pool 4
(No., Horse, Trainer, P1, P2, P3, P4 M/L)
1. Barber Road, J. Ortiz, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 63-1, 50-1
2. Call Me Midnight, K. Desormeaux, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 56-1, 50-1
3. Charge It, T. Pletcher, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 30-1
4. Classic Causeway, B. Lynch, 44-1, 51-1, 13-1, 15-1
5. Cyberknife, B. Cox, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 50-1
6. Early Voting, C. Brown, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 19-1, 30-1
7. Emmanuel, T. Pletcher, 3-5(f), 17-1, 15-1, 15-1
8. Epicenter, S. Asmussen, 52-1, 24-1, 24-1, 8-1
9. Ethereal Road, D. Lukas, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 50-1
10. Forbidden Kingdom, R. Mandella, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 18-1, 5-1
11. In Due Time, K. Breen, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 37-1, 30-1
12. Major General, T. Pletcher, 43-1, 41-1, 32-1, 50-1
13. Mo Donegal, T. Pletcher, 37-1, 23-1, 14-1, 12-1
14. Morello, S. Asmussen, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 10-1
15. Pioneer of Medina, T. Pletcher, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 30-1
16. Rattle N Roll, K. McPeek, 21-1, 20-1, 19-1, 20-1
17. Shipsational, E. Barker, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 50-1
18. Simplification, A. Sano, 3-5(f), 43-1, 43-1, 12-1
19. Smile Happy, K. McPeek, 8-1, 8-1, 8-1, 6-1
20. Un Ojo, R. Courville, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 50-1
21. White Abarrio, S. Joseph, 3-5(f), 171-1, 18-1, 15-1
22. Zandon, C. Brown, 56-1, 25-1, 21-1, 12-1
23. Zozos, B. Cox, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 50-1
24. Field (all others), n/a, 3-5, 9-5, 2-1, 6-1
(f) – denotes P1/P2/P3 field horse
Kentucky Oaks
(No., Horse, Trainer, M/L)
1. A Mo Reay, T. Pletcher, 30-1
2. Ain’t Easy, P. D’Amato, 20-1
3. Awake At Midnyte, D. O’Neill, 20-1
4. Bernabreezy, M. Shirer, 50-1
5. Bubble Rock, B. Cox, 30-1
6. Classy Edition, T. Pletcher, 15-1
7. Echo Zulu, S. Asmussen, 4-1
8. Fannie and Freddie, A. Stall Jr., 30-1
9. Favor, T. Pletcher, 20-1
10. Goddess of Fire, T. Pletcher, 20-1
11. Hidden Connection, B. Calhoun, 50-1
12. Ice Orchid, J. Ortiz, 50-1
13. Juju’s Map, B. Cox, 10-1
14. Kathleen O., S. McGaughey, 8-1
15. Nest, T. Pletcher, 8-1
16. Nostalgic, B. Mott, 20-1
17. Sandstone, K. McPeek, 15-1
18. Secret Oath, D. Lukas, 6-1
19. Shahama, F. Nass, 30-1
20. Turnerloose, B. Cox, 15-1
21. Venti Valentine, J. Abreu, 15-1
22. Veterans Highway, R. Arnold, 50-1
23. Yuugiri, R. Brisset, 50-1
24. Field (all others), n/a, 10-1