Nevada taking bets on Horse of the Year voting

William Hill, which operates 100 sports books in Nevada, opened betting Friday on which horse will be voted 2014 Horse of the Year, installing Wise Dan, winner of the award two years in a row, as the 4-1 favorite to repeat.

William Hill is the first gambling company in Nevada to offer Horse of the Year betting following a Tuesday decision by the Nevada Gaming Control Board to approve the bet type. Horse of the Year is determined by a vote of racing media and racetrack officials.

Will Take Charge, last year’s champion 3-year-old, is 5-1 at William Hill, according to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Game on Dude is next at 6-1, followed by Mucho Macho Man at 7-1, and then California Chrome and Palace Malice at 8-1. California Chrome is one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby next Saturday.

Betting on Horse of the Year will close on Nov. 7, six days after the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Votes for the award are due by the beginning of January. The 2014 Horse of the Year will be announced at the Eclipse Awards ceremony on Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park in Florida.