An impressive victory in the Fountain of Youth (G2) propelled Forte to overall favoritism in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5, which closed on Sunday after three days of betting.
Last year’s champion two-year-old male received ample support in the first four pools, but his flashy comeback triumph in the March 4 Fountain of Youth elevate support to a higher level. Forte dominated the wagering in Pool 5, settling at 3-1.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher conditions Forte and also Pool 5 second choice Tapit Trice (8-1), who rallied to an eye-catching victory in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby (G3) while Pool 5 was open for betting. Drifting to third choice was “All Other Three-Year-Olds,” a catch-all option that (in one form or another) closed as the favorite in the first four pools.
The remaining betting interests in Pool 5 options included Practical Move (12-1), Instant Coffee (19-1), Reincarnate (24-1), Red Route One (24-1), Hit Show (28-1), Geaux Rocket Ride (30-1), Confidence Game (30-1), Verifying (36-1), Angel of Empire (38-1), Rocket Can (42-1), Kingsbarn (43-1), Skinner (45-1), National Treasure (53-1), Hejazi (53-1), Perriere (59-1), Disarm (60-1), General Jim (65-1), Blazing Sevens (66-1), Litigate (66-1), Raise Cain (66-1), Cairo (75-1), Mage (75-1), Victory Formation (82-1), Classic Car Wash (85-1), Sun Thunder (85-1), Two Phil’s (88-1), Cyclone Mischief (89-1), Tapit’s Conquest (90-1), Congruent (94-1), Mandarin Hero (116-1), Major Dude (141-1), Arabian Lion (179-1), Classic Catch (179-1), Cagliostro (189-1), Denington (241-1), and Two Eagles River (270-1).
Wagering on Arabian Knight was suspended after his connections announced on Saturday that the impressive Southwest (G3) winner is no longer under consideration for a Kentucky Derby start.
| Horse | Final Odds | Morning-Line Odds |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Angel of Empire | 38-1 | 30-1 |
| #2 Arabian Knight | SCR | 10-1 |
| #3 Arabian Lion | 179-1 | 50-1 |
| #4 Blazing Sevens | 66-1 | 40-1 |
| #5 Cagliostro | 189-1 | 99-1 |
| #6 Cairo | 75-1 | 50-1 |
| #7 Classic Car Wash | 85-1 | 99-1 |
| #8 Classic Catch | 179-1 | 50-1 |
| #9 Confidence Game | 30-1 | 30-1 |
| #10 Congruent | 94-1 | 80-1 |
| #11 Cyclone Mischief | 89-1 | 40-1 |
| #12 Denington | 241-1 | 80-1 |
| #13 Disarm | 60-1 | 99-1 |
| #14 Forte | 3-1 | 4-1 |
| #15 Geaux Rocket Ride | 30-1 | 20-1 |
| #16 General Jim | 65-1 | 80-1 |
| #17 Hejazi | 53-1 | 40-1 |
| #18 Hit Show | 28-1 | 30-1 |
| #19 Instant Coffee | 19-1 | 20-1 |
| #20 Kingsbarns | 43-1 | 50-1 |
| #21 Litigate | 66-1 | 50-1 |
| #22 Mage | 75-1 | 80-1 |
| #23 Major Dude | 141-1 | 50-1 |
| #24 Mandarin Hero | 116-1 | 50-1 |
| #25 National Treasure | 53-1 | 30-1 |
| #26 Perriere | 59-1 | 50-1 |
| #27 Practical Move | 12-1 | 8-1 |
| #28 Raise Cain | 66-1 | 50-1 |
| #29 Red Route One | 24-1 | 40-1 |
| #30 Reincarnate | 24-1 | 30-1 |
| #31 Rocket Can | 42-1 | 40-1 |
| #32 Skinner | 45-1 | 40-1 |
| #33 Sun Thunder | 85-1 | 99-1 |
| #34 Tapit Trice | 8-1 | 15-1 |
| #35 Tapit’s Conquest | 90-1 | 35-1 |
| #36 Two Eagles River | 270-1 | 80-1 |
| #37 Two Phil’s | 88-1 | 80-1 |
| #38 Verifying | 36-1 | 50-1 |
| #39 Victory Formation | 82-1 | 80-1 |
| #40 All Other 3yos | 10-1 | 5-1 |
Also on Sunday, the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager Pool closed after three days of betting. From a seemingly wide-open list of wagering options, Wet Paint emerged as the 4-1 favorite off victories in the Martha Washington S. and Honeybee (G3) to kick off 2023.
Last year’s champion two-year-old filly Wonder Wheel settled at 6-1 after faltering to second place in the Suncoast S. to start the season. That was a tick lower than the 7-1 offered by Hoosier Philly, winner of the Rags to Riches S. and Golden Rod (G2) in 2022, but a distant third in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) to start 2023.
Rounding out the betting options were Punchbowl (11-1), Julia Shining (14-1), All Other Three-Year-Old Fillies (14-1), Pretty Mischievous (15-1), Guns n’ Graces (20-1), Munnys Gold (24-1), Dorth Vader (26-1), Botanical (31-1), The Alys Look (36-1), Occult (36-1), Mimi Kakushi (39-1), Shidabhuti (40-1), Red Carpet Ready (46-1), Dreaming of Snow (48-1), Miracle (55-1), And Tell Me Nolies (61-1), Gambling Girl (66-1), Clearly Unhinged (67-1), Justique (69-1), Affirmative Lady (76-1), Chop Chop (89-1), Atomically (94-1), Grand Love (105-1), Asset Purchase (106-1), Ami Please (113-1), Capella (121-1), Seduction (125-1), Flashy Gem (129-1), She’s Lookin Lucky (132-1), Southlawn (147-1), Flying Connection (150-1), Blessed Touch (159-1), Interpolate (163-1), Condensation (164-1), Royal Spa (224-1), Merlazza (229-1), and Homecoming Queen (298-1).
| Horse | Final Odds | Morning-Line Odds |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Affirmative Lady | 76-1 | 99-1 |
| #2 Ami Please | 113-1 | 99-1 |
| #3 And Tell Me Nolies | 61-1 | 40-1 |
| #4 Asset Purchase | 106-1 | 30-1 |
| #5 Atomically | 94-1 | 50-1 |
| #6 Blessed Touch | 159-1 | 50-1 |
| #7 Botanical | 31-1 | 20-1 |
| #8 Capella | 121-1 | 40-1 |
| #9 Chop Chop | 89-1 | 40-1 |
| #10 Clearly Unhinged | 67-1 | 40-1 |
| #11 Condensation | 164-1 | 40-1 |
| #12 Dorth Vader | 26-1 | 20-1 |
| #13 Dreaming of Snow | 48-1 | 30-1 |
| #14 Flashy Gem | 129-1 | 40-1 |
| #15 Flying Connection | 150-1 | 50-1 |
| #16 Gambling Girl | 66-1 | 50-1 |
| #17 Grand Love | 105-1 | 50-1 |
| #18 Guns n’ Graces | 20-1 | 40-1 |
| #19 Homecoming Queen | 298-1 | 99-1 |
| #20 Hoosier Philly | 7-1 | 15-1 |
| #21 Interpolate | 163-1 | 30-1 |
| #22 Julia Shining | 14-1 | 12-1 |
| #23 Justique | 69-1 | 40-1 |
| #24 Merlazza | 229-1 | 99-1 |
| #25 Mimi Kakushi | 39-1 | 80-1 |
| #26 Miracle | 55-1 | 20-1 |
| #27 Munnys Gold | 24-1 | 30-1 |
| #28 Occult | 36-1 | 20-1 |
| #29 Pretty Mischievous | 15-1 | 10-1 |
| #30 Punchbowl | 11-1 | 20-1 |
| #31 Red Carpet Ready | 46-1 | 15-1 |
| #32 Royal Spa | 224-1 | 50-1 |
| #33 Seduction | 125-1 | 50-1 |
| #34 She’s Lookin Lucky | 132-1 | 50-1 |
| #35 Shidabhuti | 40-1 | 15-1 |
| #36 Southlawn | 147-1 | 20-1 |
| #37 The Alys Look | 36-1 | 15-1 |
| #38 Wet Paint | 4-1 | 12-1 |
| #39 Wonder Wheel | 6-1 | 8-1 |
| #40 All Other 3yo Fillies | 14-1 | 15-1 |
The Kentucky Derby Future Wager series wraps up with Pool 6 on March 30-April 1. It’s all building toward an action-packed first week of May at Churchill Downs, with the Kentucky Oaks (G1) slated for May 5 and the Kentucky Derby (G1) taking place on May 6.
