Medaglia d’Oro was well supported in the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager that opened on Thursday and concluded Sunday evening. Bet down from a 12-1 morning line, the Darley sire closed at 5-1, the same price as the “All Other Sires” option. There was a razor-thin $2 margin between them in the Win pool, with $3,284 wagered on All Other Sires versus $3,282 for Medaglia d’Oro.
Although Medaglia d’Oro’s hand was strengthened by the victory of Enticed in Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) in the midst of the wagering, the Sadler’s Wells-line stallion was already proving popular in the market before then. His leading prospect, Bolt d’Oro, had gone unbeaten through the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner (G1) until his third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Medaglia d’Oro also has Montauk, a smashing debut winner who could be any kind for Todd Pletcher. Those three were available as individual interests in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, with Bolt d’Oro going off at 7-1, Montauk at 17-1, and Enticed at 29-1. And on Sunday, Medaglia d’Oro’s New York-bred son Sea Foam landed the six-furlong Notebook at Aqueduct but is bred to want further.
Hall of Famer Curlin, the morning-line favorite among the individual interests at 8-1, shortened to 6-1 upon the close of trade. The Hill ‘n’ Dale stallion demanded attention after siring the top two in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Good Magic and Solomini, who were 11-1 and 22-1, respectively, in Pool 1. Curlin also has Pletcher’s first-up winner Vino Rosso in the wings.
Tapit, 10-1 on the morning line, ended up as the only other sire in single digits at 8-1. North America’s record-setting leading sire for the past three years, Gainesway’s flagship stallion has hotshot maiden winners Biblical, Mask, and Principe Guilherme in the pipeline, and on Sunday, New York Central joined them with a dominant performance at Churchill Downs. Principe Guilherme (27-1) and Mask (47-1) were both offered in Pool 1.
Champion Street Sense, the first to turn the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile/Kentucky Derby (G1) double, was also a notable mover into 11-1 from a morning line of 15-1. The Darley stallion has smart maiden winner McKinzie and Nashua (G2) hero Avery Island, both Pool 1 interests who closed at 12-1 and 29-1, respectively.
Spendthrift denizen Into Mischief, whose son Tiz Mischief was just nosed out in the Kentucky Jockey Club, saw his odds contract to 16-1. Others to go to bat for him include Futurity (G3) hero Engage and even a good-looking maiden winner on the Tokyo turf in Delta Barows.
According to Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager totaled $42,953 ($27,731 in the Win pool and $15,222 in the Exactas). That represented a decline of 2.7 percent from the $44,150 ($30,375 in the Win pool and $13,775 in the Exactas) bet a year ago.
But the combined handle on the Sire Future Wager and Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which ran simultaneously over Thanksgiving weekend, was up by 10.3 percent, from $265,951 to $293,212.
Below are the details on the Win pools and will-pays from KentuckyDerby.com. Exacta probables are also available on the Derby site.
