'All Others' Favored Over Surging Union Rags, Five Baffert Contenders Derby Future Pool 2

Mar 01, 2012 John Asher

A dominant performance by Chadds Ford Stable’s Union Rags (#23) in last weekend’s Fountain of Youth (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park has made the son of Dixie Union a strong individual choice in this week’s second three-day pool of Churchill Downs’ 2012 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”), but the “All Others” wagering interest (#24) remains a narrow morning line among the 24 betting interests that include five horses in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. 

Wagering on KDFW Pool 2 opens at noon (all times Eastern) on Friday, March 2 and the mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the 23 individual horses in the pool, has been installed by Churchill Downs’ oddsmaker Mike Battaglia as the 3-1 morning line favorite.  But trainer Michael Matz’s Union Rags, the 7-1 individual fan favorite in the Feb. 10-12 opening pool of the Derby Future bet, is a close 4-1 second choice in Battaglia’s odds. Among those 23 individual 3-year-olds are the five wagering interests trained by Baffert, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner.  The Baffert trainees are Bodemeister (#3 at 15-1); Castaway, winner of the first division of Oaklawn’s Southwest (GIII) (#4, 20-1); Fed Biz (#9, 12-1); CashCall Futurity (GI) winner Liaison (#13, 50-1) and Secret Circle (#21, 15-1), the winner of the second division of the Southwest and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint.   The Todd Pletcher-trained El Padrino (#7), winner of the Risen Star (GII), is the co-third choice in Pool 2 at 12-1.

Wagering in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager at racetracks, off-track betting centers and TwinSpires.com and other online platforms is scheduled to close on Sunday, March 4 at 6 p.m.  The companion Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will open with the Derby bet at noon on Friday, but that wager will close on Sunday at 6:30 p.m., 30 minutes later than the Derby Wager.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager, now in its 14^th year, got off to a quick start with record single-pool wagering of $631,304 in its Feb. 10-12 opening pool.  The total included $494,263 in win betting and $137,041 in exactas.  The three-day total eclipsed the $620,362 wagered during the four-day opening pool of 2005, the year in which the KDFW three-pool betting record of $1,665,990 was set.  There was no KDFW exacta betting in 2005.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager annually offers fans opportunities to bet on candidates for the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), America’s greatest race and one of the world’s premier sporting events, well in advance of the renewal of Churchill Downs’ famed 1 ¼-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds.  Future Wager bettors will receive odds that are in place at Sunday’s conclusion of wagering, and those odds could turn out to be significantly higher and more attractive than those available on the same horses on Kentucky Derby Day.  The 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Bets in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which offers win and exacta bets, are $2 minimum wagers, with $1 exacta boxes and wheels also available.   There are no refunds on any wager placed during a KDFW pool. 

KDFW Pool 2 wagering interests were chosen by a committee that includes Ed DeRosa, marketing director for Brisnet; Brad Free and Mike Watchmaker of Daily Racing Form; and Churchill Downs’ John Asher.

Final Pool 2 odds, exacta payouts, and other information on Kentucky Derby Future Wager are available at the Kentucky Derby’s official event Web site at www.KentuckyDerby.com.

* -- new wagering interest in Pool 2 / Morning line odds by Mike Battaglia

#	Wagering Interest	Morning Line Odds
1	Alpha	20-1
2	Battle Hardened	50-1
3	Bodemeister*	15-1
4	Castaway*	20-1
5	Creative Cause	20-1
6	Dullahan	50-1
7	El Padrino	12-1
8	Empire Way	50-1
9	Fed Biz	12-1
10	Gemologist	20-1
11	Hansen	15-1
12	I’ll Have Another	30-1
13	Liaison	50-1
14	Mark Valeski*	30-1
15	Midnight Transfer	30-1
16	News Pending*	30-1
17	Out of Bounds	20-1
18	Rousing Sermon	30-1
19	Sabercat	30-1
20	Scatman*	20-1
21	Secret Circle*	15-1
22	Take Charge Indy	30-1
23	Union Rags	4-1
24	All Other 3YO’s	3-1