Smarty a tidy future bet

The many fans who backed the mutuel field, or the 24th and "all others" option, during the first two pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager were rewarded Saturday when Smarty Jones prevailed as the 4-1 favorite at Churchill Downs.

For the first time in the six-year history of the futures, the field was favored in all three pools. As a field member, Smarty Jones returned a mere $5.60 for a winning $2 wager in Pool 1, and $10.80 for Pool 2. He was listed as a separate entrant in the third of three futures pools, returning $23.60 as second choice.

Smarty Jones returned $10.20 to win Saturday.

In the Oaks Futures, the payoffs reflected considerably more value on Ashado, who was a separately listed entrant during all three pools. Ashado, who returned $6.60 as the Oaks favorite Friday, paid $48.40 in Pool 1, $21 in Pool 2, and $17.80 in Pool 3. This was the first year Churchill had offered as many as three futures pools on the Oaks.

The record high payoff in Churchill futures history is $188 on Funny Cide in Derby Pool 1 last year.