Old Fashioned, 'all others' co-favored as Pool 2 opens with exactas

Old Fashioned, 'all others' co-favored as Pool 2

opens with exactas

Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) opens its four-day run on

Thursday, and exacta wagering joins the traditional "win" bet on the wagering

menu for the first time. The addition of the exacta, which requires bettors to

select the 1-2 finishers in the famed "Run for the Roses" in the correct order,

marks the first major change in the Derby Future bet since it was introduced in

1999.

Wagering opens at 12 p.m. (EDT), and KDFW Pool 2 features 24 wagering

interests that consist of 23 horses and the always popular mutuel field, which

consists of all three-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the pool's individual

horses. Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed the "all others"

betting interest as the 8-1 co-favorite on the morning line along with Fox Hill

Farm's unbeaten OLD FASHIONED (Unbridled's Song).

In Pool 1 of the KDFW, the mutuel field wound up the 9-5 favorite, and Old

Fashioned was the favored individual horse at odds of 7-1.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager provides fans with an opportunity to wager on

contenders for America's greatest race at odds that could be much greater than

those available on the day of the race. Both the KDFW "win" and exacta bets are

$2 minimum wagers. Payouts will be determined by the odds that are in place at

the conclusion of betting at 6 p.m. on Sunday. Kentucky Derby fans will be

hoping for generous return on their wager in the March 12-15 pool that would

rival the opening pool of 2003, which saw Derby winner Funny Cide return $188

for a $2 Pool 1 Derby Future bet. A $2 Kentucky Derby Day "win" wager on Funny

Cide paid only $27.60.

Battaglia's morning line estimates could change significantly during Pool 2's

four-day run as 10 of its wagering interests are scheduled to compete during a

busy weekend of Kentucky Derby prep races that include the $600,000 Louisiana

Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds, the $300,000 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park, the

$200,000 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita, and the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3)

at Tampa Bay Downs.

Old Fashioned is scheduled to run in the Rebel, while PIONEEROF THE NILE

(Empire Maker), the 10-1 co-third choice, will compete in the San Felipe.

FRIESAN FIRE (A.P. Indy), one of three interests at 12-1, heads the Louisiana

Derby. Others highly regarded horses in Pool 2 include 10-1 co-third choices THE

PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain), winner of the Sham S. (G3), and Gotham S. (G3) hero I

WANT REVENGE (Stephen Got Even). I Want Revenge closed at 54-1 in Pool 1,

but his odds will be much shorter in Pool 2 following his 8 1/2-length romp at

Aqueduct.

The Kentucky Derby Futures Exacta requires the bettor to select the first two

finishers in the exact order in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Those horses must be

selected from the 24 wagering interests in each respective pool. Those interests

include 23 individual horses and a mutuel field (#24) that consists of all other

three-year-old Thoroughbreds.

Fans may combine betting interests in boxes and other exacta combinations. In

the event of a finish in which multiple members of the "all others" betting

interest occupy spots at the top of the official order of finish, the

calculation of the $2 payout will be conducted in accordance with Kentucky Horse

Racing Commission rules on coupled entries. For example, if horses in the mutuel

field occupy the first five spots in the Derby's order of finish and #9 finishes

sixth, the winning exacta numbers will be 24/9. A finish of 3/24/24/24/7 would

result in an exacta payout on a 3/24 ticket.

The mutuel field (#24) can be used in only one position in the exacta. A

bettor cannot place a wager on 24/24, or "all"/"all."

Betting interests in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools are selected by a

panel that includes Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form national handicapper;

Brad Free, West Coast correspondent for the Daily Racing Form; and John Asher,

vice president of racing communications at Churchill Downs.

Real-time odds on Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager are available on

the official Kentucky Derby Web site at www.kentuckyderby.com.

2009

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2

* New Wagering Interest

in Pool 2 (N) – Not nominated to Triple Crown