Field, Declan’s Moon lead first Derby Future

Churchill Downs’ oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed the mutuel
field, which includes all three-year-olds not listed among the 23
individual betting interests, as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the
first of three 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools, which opens
Thursday at noon (EST) and runs through 6 p.m. Sunday.

Two-year-old champion DECLAN’S MOON (Malibu Moon) comes next on the
morning line at 6-1, and undefeated Remsen S. (G2) victor ROCKPORT
HARBOR (Unbridled’s Song) is listed at 8-1. They are the only individual
betting interests in single digits on the early line.

“The Kentucky Derby (G1) picture is always uncertain at this time of
year and there’s no reason to believe that any of the individual horses
in this year’s first Derby Future pool will attract enough support to
supplant the mutuel field as the favorite,” Battaglia said. “The pool
offers a good mix of proven performers and rising stars, but none of the
individual horses has done enough to this point to become a solid Derby
favorite and there’s a pretty good chance that the eventual Derby winner
has yet to step forward.”

The mutuel field has been the Pool 1 favorite in each of the six
previous Derby Future wagers and contained the eventual winner three
times, including 2004 Kentucky Derby hero Smarty Jones.

Champion juvenile filly SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat) is also an
individual interest at 20-1 on the morning line. The Julio Canani
trainee is listed as the 4-1 early favorite for the first pool of the
Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which will run concurrently with the Derby
Future.

2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager,
Pool One

(f) denotes filly