Based in large part on a stunning victory in the San Felipe (G2), Life Is Good closed as the 2-1 overall favorite in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4, cementing his reputation as the horse to beat on the first Saturday in May.
Conditioned by six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, Life Is Good was the individual favorite in the first three future pools as well, offering odds between 5-1 and 7-1. But Life Is Good’s eight-length romp in the San Felipe encouraged bettors to drive his odds even lower than usual, leaving the typically favored “All Other Three-Year-Olds” option as the distant 7-1 fourth choice by the time betting closed on Sunday.
The undefeated two-year-old champion Essential Quality (5-1) and Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Greatest Honour (6-1) were also popular at the betting windows, albeit without challenging Life Is Good for overall supremacy.
The low prices on the three favorites understandably drove up the odds on the remaining betting interests. Rounding out the options in Pool 4 were Caddo River (16-1), Mandaloun (17-1), Concert Tour (17-1), Prevalence (29-1), Collaborate (29-1), Keepmeinmind (30-1), Highly Motivated (36-1), Medina Spirit (39-1), Proxy (41-1), Risk Taking (42-1), Midnight Bourbon (52-1), Hot Rod Charlie (53-1), Spielberg (63-1), Candy Man Rocket (71-1), Dream Shake (71-1), The Great One (79-1), Freedom Fighter (84-1), Roman Centurian (94-1), Rombauer (109-1), and Hush of a Storm (146-1).
Helium and Weyburn, the respective upset winners of the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Gotham (G3) over the weekend, were not offered for individual betting, instead being grouped with the All Other Three-Year-Olds option.
All told, $322,477 was wagering in Pool 4, including $90,844 in exactas.
| PROGRAM | HORSE | ODDS |
| 1. | Caddo River | 16-1 |
| 2. | Candy Man Rocket | 71-1 |
| 3. | Collaborate | 29-1 |
| 4. | Concert Tour | 17-1 |
| 5. | Dream Shake | 71-1 |
| 6. | Essential Quality | 5-1 |
| 7. | Freedom Fighter | 84-1 |
| 8. | Greatest Honour | 6-1 |
| 9. | Highly Motivated | 36-1 |
| 10. | Hot Rod Charlie | 53-1 |
| 11. | Hush of a Storm | 99-1 |
| 12. | Keepmeinmind | 30-1 |
| 13. | Life Is Good | 2-1 |
| 14. | Mandaloun | 17-1 |
| 15. | Medina Spirit | 39-1 |
| 16. | Midnight Bourbon | 52-1 |
| 17. | Prevalence | 29-1 |
| 18. | Proxy | 41-1 |
| 19. | Risk Taking | 42-1 |
| 20. | Roman Centurian | 94-1 |
| 21. | Rombauer | 99-1 |
| 22. | Spielberg | 63-1 |
| 23. | The Great One | 79-1 |
| 24. | All Other Three Year Olds | 7-1 |
Coinciding with the Kentucky Derby pool was the annual Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which saw the well-bred Rachel Alexandra (G2) winner Clairiere settle as the 7-2 favorite over “All Other Three-Year-Old Fillies” at 5-1. Considering the Rachel Alexandra has produced five Oaks winners since 2010, bettors appear to have made a well-informed choice.
Rachel Alexandra runner-up Travel Column closed as the third choice at 6-1, followed by Malathaat (7-1), Will’s Secret (14-1), Simply Ravishing (15-1), Vequist (19-1), Pass the Champagne (20-1), Dayoutoftheoffice (22-1), Kalypso (23-1), Wholebodemeister (28-1), Zaajel (28-1), Pauline’s Pearl (28-1), Search Results (31-1), Li’l Tootsie (35-1), Crazy Beautiful (39-1), Obligatory (40-1), Moraz (47-1), Sun Path (55-1), Bow Bow Girl (56-1), Lady Mystify (63-1), Coach (67-1), Willful Woman (103-1), and Souper Sensational (110-1).
The Oaks pool attracted $78,290, including $20,771 in exactas. In addition, a Kentucky Oaks/Derby Double Future Wager—tasking bettors with selecting the winners of both races—drew $70,727. The All Other Three-Year-Old Fillies/Life Is Good double was the preferred combination, projecting a return of $19.90 for every $1 bet.
| PROGRAM | HORSE | ODDS |
| 1. | Bow Bow Girl | 50-1 |
| 2. | Clairiere | 7-2 |
| 3. | Coach | 67-1 |
| 4. | Crazy Beautiful | 39-1 |
| 5. | Dayoutoftheoffice | 22-1 |
| 6. | Kalypso | 23-1 |
| 7. | Lady Mystify | 63-1 |
| 8. | Li’l Tootsie | 35-1 |
| 9. | Malathaat | 7-1 |
| 10. | Moraz | 47-1 |
| 11. | Obligatory | 40-1 |
| 12. | Pass the Champagne | 20-1 |
| 13. | Pauline’s Pearl | 28-1 |
| 14. | Search Results | 31-1 |
| 15. | Simply Ravishing | 15-1 |
| 16. | Souper Sensational | 99-1 |
| 17. | Sun Path | 55-1 |
| 18. | Travel Column | 6-1 |
| 19. | Vequist | 19-1 |
| 20. | Wholebodemeister | 28-1 |
| 21. | Will’s Secret | 14-1 |
| 22. | Willful Woman | 99-1 |
| 23. | Zaajel | 28-1 |
| 24. | All Other Three Year Old Fillies | 5-1 |
The fifth and final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool will take place from March 26-28, five weeks before the first Saturday in May.
