Kentucky Derby Future wager: Runflatout the surprise early favorite

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A sizable bet on newcomer Runflatout made for a surprise early favorite and a skewed oddsboard during the opening hours of betting into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future wager, which began its three-day run at noon Eastern on Friday.

As of 5 p.m., and with $24,592 in the win pool, Runflatout was the 5-2 favorite among the 24 betting interests, followed by To Honor and Serve (9-2), Uncle Mo (6-1), and the mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, at 10-1. An additional $5,498 had been bet into the exacta pool after the first five hours.

Runflatout, based at Santa Anita with trainer John Sadler, has raced just once, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure when winning a Jan. 29 sprint over his home track by 2 1/2 lengths. The Kentucky-bred ridgling was not a separately listed wagering interest in Pool 1, which ran Feb. 18-20, and was pegged at 50-1 on the Churchill Downs morning line as one of four newly named horses for Pool 2.

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Odds are locked in on the parimutuel futures only after the pool closes at 6 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. Considerable change in the odds can be expected by then as several key Derby preps will be run Saturday, most notably the Timely Writer at Gulfstream Park, where Uncle Mo, the undefeated divisional champion, is scheduled to make his seasonal debut.

The field closed as the 2-1 favorite in Pool 1, when the total handle was $592,492. Pool 3 is set for April 1-3.

Also at noon Friday, the only Kentucky Oaks future pool being offered this season opened to run concurrently with Derby Pool 2. On win handle of $4,778, Zazu was the early 7-2 favorite, followed by Kathmanblu (9-2), the field (7-1), and Delightful Mary (12-1).

Exactas are available for the first time in the Oaks pool, which closes 30 minutes after Derby Pool 2 on Sunday.

Live odds and exacta will-pays are available on selected monitors at tracks and wagering outlets where the futures are offered as well as on kentuckyderby.com and kentuckyoaks.com.