Churchill Downs

Kentucky Derby Future Wager: Pool 5 runs Thursday to Saturday, closes before final preps

Marty McGee|Apr 05, 2022

Epicenter wins the 2022 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds

Amanda Hodges Weir/Hodges Photography Epicenter has used his early foot to win three of his last four starts, including the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star (above). He will stretch out another sixteenth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Thursday to Saturday wagering window that will close before any prep races are run this weekend is a new wrinkle being presented by Churchill Downs with the fifth and final pool in the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

Pool 5 opens Thursday at noon Eastern and will close Saturday at 4:30 p.m., before the Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby are run soon thereafter. The intent is to make it more of a “futures” pool. A Friday to Sunday window has become the norm since Churchill first began offering parimutuel futures in 1999, with bettors usually being allowed to take into consideration the prep-race results prior to final odds being locked in.

Pool 5 was originally scheduled to run the previous week (March 31 to April 2), but Churchill officials chose to delay it by one week.

Meanwhile, Epicenter is listed as a slight 5-1 morning-line favorite for Pool 5, followed by Smile Happy (6-1) and a trio at 8-1 – Forbidden Kingdom, Messier, and White Abarrio.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2022: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

There are six new names in Pool 5. They are Crown Pride, Messier, Slow Down Andy, Summer Is Tomorrow, Tawny Port, and Tiz the Bomb.

Messier is listed individually for the first time after recently being transferred into the care of trainer Tim Yakteen. The colt previously was trained by Bob Baffert, who has been banned by Churchill 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.

The mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, was favored in each of the first four pools held Nov. 26-29, Jan. 21-23, Feb. 11-13, and March 11-13. The Pool 5 morning line on the field is 15-1.

Slow Down Andy and Tiz the Bomb both had been separate interests in two prior pools each, although both were grouped into the field for Pool 4.

Gone from Pool 4 are Call Me Midnight, Classic Causeway, Major General, Rattle N Roll, Shipsational, and Un Ojo.

Win and exacta wagering are available in both pools at a $2 minimum ($1 boxes or part-wheels are permitted).

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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 5, Essential Quality was a slight 4-1 favorite over the field (5-1) and Concert Tour (5-1). Combined handle was $369,695.

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.

The 148th Derby is set for May 7.

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5
(No., Horse, Trainer, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 M/L)

1. Barber Road, J. Ortiz, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 63-1, 39-1, 30-1

2. Charge It, T. Pletcher, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 17-1, 12-1

3. Crown Pride, K. Shintani, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 4-1(f), 50-1

4. Cyberknife, B. Cox, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 36-1, 12-1

5. Early Voting, C. Brown, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 19-1, 19-1, 20-1

6. Emmanuel, T. Pletcher, 3-5(f), 17-1, 15-1, 33-1, 20-1

7. Epicenter, S. Asmussen, 52-1, 24-1, 24-1, 13-1, 5-1

8. Ethereal Road, D. Lukas, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 32-1, 50-1

9. Forbidden Kingdom, R. Mandella, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 18-1, 7-1, 8-1

10. In Due Time, K. Breen, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 37-1, 48-1, 50-1

11. Messier, T. Yakteen, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 4-1(f), 8-1

12. Mo Donegal, T. Pletcher, 37-1, 23-1, 14-1, 24-1, 20-1

13. Morello, S. Asmussen, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 17-1, 20-1

14. Pioneer of Medina, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 71-1, 30-1

15. Simplification, A. Sano, 3-5(f), 43-1, 43-1, 19-1, 15-1

16. Slow Down Andy, D. O’Neill, 3-5(f), 20-1, 23-1, 4-1(f), 50-1

17. Smile Happy, K. McPeek, 8-1, 8-1, 8-1, 6-1, 6-1

18. Summer Is Tomorrow, B. Seemar, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 4-1(f), 50-1

19. Tawny Port, B. Cox, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 4-1(f), 50-1

20. Tiz the Bomb, K. McPeek, 24-1, 10-1, 2-1(f), 4-1(f), 12-1

21. White Abarrio, S. Joseph, 3-5(f), 171-1, 18-1, 22-1, 8-1

22. Zandon, C. Brown, 56-1, 25-1, 21-1, 22-1, 20-1

23. Zozos, B. Cox, 3-5(f), 9-5(f), 2-1(f), 30-1, 30-1

24. Field (all others), n/a, 3-5, 9-5, 2-1, 4-1, 15-1

(f) – denotes P1/P2/P3/P4 field horse

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