The mutuel field continued as a solid favorite midway through the second of four days in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
As of 4 p.m. Eastern on Friday, and after $89,371 was bet into the win-only wager, the field, the 24th or "all others" option, was the 3-2 favorite, followed by Old Fashioned (6-1), Pioneerof the Nile (13-1), Midshipman (18-1), Silver City (19-1), Friesan Fire (21-1), and The Pamplemousse (22-1).
Sizable bets placed just minutes after wagering opened made the mutuel field a big favorite as Pool 1 in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager began its customary four-day run Thursday at noon Eastern.
The mutuel field, the 24th or "all others" option, was the 1-2 favorite as of 5 p.m. Thursday. After $32,108 in handle, the field towered over the top three separate wagering interests: The Pamplemousse (12-1), Old Fashioned (14-1), and Pioneerof the Nile (15-1). There were no reported defections from the lineup of 23 separate interests.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It was in February 1999 that Churchill Downs introduced the Kentucky Derby Future Wager as a new twist on an old concept. Renowned oddsmaker Roxy Roxborough said at the time that "parimutuels and futures mix like oil and water," but here it is, 10 years later, and the Future Wager has become an institution of sorts among Derby watchers.
The early consensus assessment of this year's crop of Kentucky Derby hopefuls is more harsh than usual. Outside of a couple of abnormally fast sprint performances, the word most often associated with this group seems to be "uninspiring." Certainly a big reason for that is the leaders of this division are shakier propositions than you would usually expect. Three-year-olds of prominence at this time of year always have at least some questions to answer. But this year, the questions are bigger and speak to much deeper issues.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When wagering opens for the first of three pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager on Thursday at noon Eastern, horseplayers across the country will begin to play the wager. Some will place a bet for the usual reason gamblers do, believing they can make a score, while others will simply want the excitement of being a wagering part of America's greatest horse race.
If backing the Derby winner on Derby Day is good for the wallet and an ego boost, betting the Derby winner in February is almost a chest-thumping experience for a horseplayer.
Churchill Downs is staging a Kentucky Derby promotional event beginning Thursday in Tampa, Fla., coinciding with Super Bowl Festivities there.
At a mobile unit, Churchill is holding auditions for what it calls Chief Party Officer for the infield festivities at this year's Derby, scheduled for May 2 at the Louisville, Ky., track. Applications can also be found at .
Betting on Saturday's Kentucky Derby fell 3.2 percent, and handle on the entire Derby card fell 2.0 percent compared with last year, according to figures released by Churchill Downs. It was the second year in a row that handle fell compared to the year before, after 16 consecutive years of growth.
Total wagering on this year's Derby from all sources was $114,557,364, compared with $118,317,714 in 2007, according to Churchill. The high-water mark for the Derby was set in 2006, when total betting was $118,426,874 - a 13.5 percent increase over the figure for 2005.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The flight to Baltimore may be a lonely one for Big Brown in the wake of his dominating victory in Saturdays Kentucky Derby.
As of Sunday morning, it appeared Big Brown would be the only member of the Derby field heading to Pimlico for the Preakness on May 17. Among the connections of horses who finished behind Big Brown in the Derby, only trainer Louie Roussel left the door open, saying he was leaning against bringing Recapturetheglory to the Preakness but that he wouldnt make a decision until Monday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - At a press conference two hours after his filly Eight Belles was euthanized on the racetrack after fracturing both front ankles following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, a choked up Larry Jones said: "She went out in a blaze of glory, she went out a champion. We're heartbroke. We're going to miss her."
Jones had won the Kentucky Oaks the previous afternoon with Proud Spell. He also trained Hard Spun, who finished second in the 2007 Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It ain't bragging if you can back it up, and Big Brown backed up trainer Richard Dutrow's confident words at Churchill Downs on Saturday by rolling to a impressive victory in the 134th Kentucky Derby before 157,770 fans, the second-largest attendance in Derby history.
