Sires take the spotlight in new Derby future wager

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The new future wager that will be offered during the final week of the meet (Nov. 26-29) is proving a fun project for Darren Rogers, the Churchill Downs media relations director. Rogers is primarily responsible for choosing the 23 sires to be listed as separate wagering entities for the 2016 Kentucky Derby Sires Future Wager, which is modeled closely after the future wager Churchill has offered annually since 1999.

Rogers said he is using a variety of criteria in deciding which sires will be listed, including stud fee, number of foals in the crop of 3-year-olds for 2016, overall prowess as a sire, record as a Derby sire (and runner), current Derby hopefuls, and other factors.

As with the regular future wager, there will be a 24th or “all others” option, with win and exacta wagering offered. The first of four pools in the regular future wager will run concurrent to this new wager, with lineups for both wagers set for release Nov. 23.

◗ Neck ’n Neck is being pointed to the Nov. 28 Hawthorne Gold Cup in Chicago while remaining at Churchill with his longtime trainer, Ian Wilkes, after recently being purchased by Waldorf Racing at auction at Keeneland.

Neck ’n Neck, a 6-year-old horse, is barely short of being a millionaire, with earnings of $998,762 from 30 career starts for his prior owner, the estate of A. Stevens Miles Jr. Waldorf is owned by David Wright.

◗ When entries were taken here Friday for the Wednesday card, a notice was posted in the racing office saying eight jockeys would be unavailable because they’re on their way to Fair Grounds, which begins more than four months of racing on Thursday. Those jockeys are Florent Geroux, Miguel Mena, Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Francisco Torres, Jesus Castanon, Jamie Theriot, Manny Esquivel, and Leandro Goncalves.

◗ Trainer Jimmy Baker had a somber 58th birthday Wednesday because of what happened to Rathbaun: The 5-year-old mare suffered a compound fracture of a hind leg during the fourth race and had to be euthanized. Baker assumed the training of Rathbaun in the spring and won back-to-back allowance races with her this summer at Churchill and Ellis Park.

◗ Kiss Moon and Sistas Stroll are among a sizable field of filly-and-mare turfers expected for the lone stakes here next weekend, the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap on Saturday, Nov. 21.