‘All Others’ Favored In Opening Pool Of Churchill Downs’ 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Feb 10, 2009 John Asher

Churchill Downs’ 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”) begins its 11th year on Thursday when the first of its three betting pools opens with the mutuel field, or “all others,” as the favored betting interest as fans take their shot at picking the winner of the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) months in advance of America’s greatest race.

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed the “all others” betting interest as the 5-2 favorite in Pool 1, which opens at noon (all times EST) on Thursday, Feb. 12 and concludes at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15.  But that’s hardly a surprise as the mutuel field has been favored in the KDFW’s opening pool in each of the first 10 years of the Derby Future bet.  Fans often opt for the “all others” bet rather than make a commitment to an individual horse so early in the Derby campaign and this year’s group of contenders seems more wide-open than most.

Among individual horses, Fox Hill Farm’s Old Fashioned, winner of last fall’s Remsen (GII) at Aqueduct, and Joseph Rauch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can, winner of the recent Hutcheson (GII) at Gulfstream Park and the Iroquois (GIII) at Churchill Downs, are co-favored individual interests in Battaglia’s morning line at 10-1.  That duo is followed by a closely-matched group of young stars at 12-1 that includes 2008 2-year-old champion Midshipman; Stardom Bound, the only filly among the individual betting interests and last year’s champion 2-year-old of her gender; Lecomte (GIII) Risen Star (GII) winner Friesan Fire; CashCall Futurity (GI) and Robert B. Lewis (GII) winner Pioneerof the Nile; Champagne (GI) winner Vineyard Haven; and This Ones for Phil, winner of the Sunshine Millions Dash.  This Ones For Phil is the lone member of Pool 1 that is not yet nominated to the Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown.

Other major contenders in the first of this year’s KDFW pools include Beethoven and Giant Oak, the 1-2 finishers in last fall’s Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs.  Both are listed at odds of 15-1.

Kentucky Derby fans will be hoping for generous return on their wager in the Feb. 12-15 pool that would rival the opening pool of 2003, which saw Derby winner Funny Cide return $188 for their $2 Derby Future bet in Pool 1.  The Sackatoga Stable star paid only $27.60 for a $2 win bet on Kentucky Derby Day.  Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a $2 minimum wager and a “win” bet only.
Betting interests in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools are selected by a panel that includes Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form national handicapper; Brad Free, West Coast correspondent for the Daily Racing Form; and John Asher, vice president of racing communications at Churchill Downs.

A total of $1,056,520 was wagered on the three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools in 2008 as total betting on the wager topped the $1 million mark for the ninth consecutive time in its 10-year history.  KDFW Pool 2 is scheduled for March 12-15 and the third and final pool will be conducted April 2-5.  

Real-time odds on Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager are available on the official Kentucky Derby Web site at www.kentuckyderby.com. 

 

 

2009 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER POOL 1 – Feb.  12-15
Number	Wagering Interest	Morning line odds
1	Beethoven	15-1
2	Big Drama	30-1
3	Capt. Candyman Can (g)	10-1
4	Chocolate Candy	50-1
5	Flying Pegasus	30-1
6	Friesan Fire	12-1
7	Giant Oak	15-1
8	Haynesfield	50-1
9	Hello Broadway	50-1
10	I Want Revenge	50-1
11	Midshipman	12-1
12	Notonthesamepage	30-1
13	Old Fashioned	10-1
14	Papa Clem	20-1
15	Patena	20-1
16	Pioneerof the Nile	20-1
17	Silver City	50-1
18	Stardom Bound (f)	12-1
19	Taqarub	30-1
20	The Pamplemousse	30-1
21	This Ones For Phil (g)*	12-1
22	Vineyard Haven	12-1
23	West Side Bernie	50-1
24	Mutuel Field (“All Others”)	5-2
(f) – filly     (g) – gelding     * – Not nominated to Triple Crown
Morning Line odds by Mike Battaglia