Mutuel field, as usual, early choice in Derby Future Wager
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Pool 1 in the 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opens Thursday at noon Eastern for a four-day run with the mutuel field in its customary position as the favorite. The first of four Derby futures pools is being offered concurrent to the Derby Sires Future Wager.
The field, the 24th or “all others” option, is listed at 5-2 by Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia, followed by Classic Empire at 8-1. He is followed by Mastery at 12-1 and six more horses at 15-1.
Not This Time was retired Monday to Taylor Made Farm and will be listed as a scratch on the wagering menu.
The pool closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern, meaning bettors can consider the results of the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct and the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill prior to making their wagers. Odds are not locked in until the pool closes.
This is the fourth year Pool 1 has been held in late November, but regardless of when it is held, the field has always closed as the favorite in Pool 1 since parimutuel futures were first offered by Churchill in 1999.
Last November the field closed at 3-5, while the eventual Derby winner, Nyquist, ended up as the 9-1 second choice. In the futures for the 2015 Derby, American Pharoah was a 12-1 chance in Pool 1 the previous November.
Total handle (win and exacta) in Pool 1 last November was $174,682. The four-pool aggregate for the 2016 Derby was $1,379,358, short of the all-time record of $1,665,990 set in 2005.
As usual, three subsequent futures pools will be offered before the 143rd Derby is run May 6, 2017. Pool 2 will run Jan. 27-29, Pool 3 from Feb. 24-26, and Pool 4 from March 31 to April 2. A separate Kentucky Oaks pool will be offered concurrent with Pool 3.
For the Derby Sires Wager, the field has been listed as a lukewarm 8-1 favorite among 24 choices, with the top individuals being Tapit (10-1), Giant’s Causeway (12-1), and Pioneerof the Nile (12-1).
Last year, the winning sire was Uncle Mo, who was the 9-1 second choice behind Tapit (7-1). Combined handle was only $34,960.
Real-time win odds and exacta will-pays are available through various modes, including on television monitors at tracks and wagering outlets, as well as on kentuckyderby.com.
| 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 | ||||
| # | Wagering Interest | Sire | Trainer | Morning Line Odds |
| 1 | Beach Bum | Arch | Bob Baffert | 15-1 |
| 2 | Classic Empire | Pioneerof the Nile | Mark Casse | 8-1 |
| 3 | Fact Finding | The Factor | Todd Pletcher | 20-1 |
| 4 | Gormley | Malibu Moon | John Shirreffs | 20-1 |
| 5 | Gunnevera | Dialed In | Antonio Sano | 15-1 |
| 6 | Hemsworth | Bernardini | Tom Albertrani | 30-1 |
| 7 | Hookup | Union Rags | David Cannizo | 50-1 |
| 8 | Irish War Cry | Curlin | Graham Motion | 50-1 |
| 9 | Just Move On | Street Boss | Patrick Byrne | 20-1 |
| 10 | Klimt | Quality Road | Bob Baffert | 15-1 |
| 11 | Lookin at Lee | Lookin At Lucky | Steve Asmussen | 30-1 |
| 12 | Mastery | Candy Ride (ARG) | Bob Baffert | 12-1 |
| 13 | McCraken | Ghostzapper | Ian Wilkes | 15-1 |
| 14 | Mo Town | Uncle Mo | Anthony Dutrow | 30-1 |
| 15 | No Dozing | Union Rags | Arnaud Delacour | 50-1 |
| 16 | Not This Time | Giant's Causeway | Dale Romans | SCR |
| 17 | Practical Joke | Into Mischief | Chad Brown | 15-1 |
| 18 | Running Mate | Creative Cause | Larry Jones | 50-1 |
| 19 | Saint's Fan | Tale of Ekati | Dallas Stewart | 50-1 |
| 20 | Syndergaard | Majesticperfection | Todd Pletcher | 15-1 |
| 21 | Takaful | Bernardini | Kiaran McLaughlin | 30-1 |
| 22 | Uncontested | Tiz Wondeful | Wayne Catalano | 30-1 |
| 23 | Wild Shot | Trappe Shot | Rusty Arnold | 50-1 |
| 24 | Mutuel Field | 5-2 | ||