Renegade the new favorite in final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool
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Renegade, last weekend’s winner of the Arkansas Derby, has been made the 4-1 morning-line favorite for this weekend’s final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, which will close prior to the three major Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled for this Saturday.
Renegade, who is owned by Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, easily won the Arkansas Derby last Saturday to remain undefeated in two starts as a 3-year-old. The other winner of last weekend’s major Derby prep race, Florida Derby winner Commandment, was made the 6-1 second choice by oddsmakers at Churchill Downs, which administers the pool.
The Future Wager pool will open on Thursday at noon and close at 6 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, prior to the Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby all going to post. The winners of those three races will likely figure prominently in the list of pre-race favorites for the May 2 Kentucky Derby. In fact, 25 of the 39 individual horses offered in this weekend’s Future Wager are currently expected to start in one of the three major prep races this weekend.
This year, the overwhelming winter-book favorite for the Derby, the undefeated Ted Noffey, was taken off the Derby trail after an injury. The horse that inherited the mantle of Derby favorite, Paladin, was pulled from Derby consideration this weekend after also suffering an injury, leaving a wide-open field.
The minimum bet in the Future Wager is $2, and there are no refunds. Win and exacta betting will be offered.