Handicapping 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3

Photo: Coady Photography

The 2018 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3, which enables horse players to bet on 23 possible individual contenders plus a pari-mutuel field, will open at 12 p.m. ET Friday and run through 6 p.m. Sunday.

Along with the Derby Future Wager, there will be the only pool for the 2018 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. In addition to win and exacta betting, an Oaks/Derby Future Double has been added to the Future Wager betting menu for the first time. The Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which includes the Oaks/Derby Future Double, will close a half-hour later than the KDFW at 6:30 pm.

The list of trainers reads like a Who’s Who of thoroughbred racing as Todd Pletcher leads the way with four KDFW Pool 3 contenders (Audible, Magnum Moon, Noble Indy, and Vino Rosso), while Bob Baffert has three (McKinzie, Justify, and Solomini). Four-time Kentucky Derby winner D. Wayne Lukas is represented by two (Bravazo and Sporting Chance), as are Dale Romans (Promises Fulfilled and Free Drop Billy) and Jerry Hollendorfer (Instilled Regard and Kanthaka).

Only eight of the original 23 horses remain as single choices from Pool 1, while five others carry over from Pool 2. That means that there are 10 new betting interests in Pool 3 ranging from Justify, who has only one career start, to Bravazo with his Derby point leading total of 54.

To help with your handicapping of this third Future Wager, HRN has assembled a chart which contains the Derby qualifying points, morning line, final odds from pools 1 and 2, the three most recent Beyer Speed Figures, and their last race result for all of the individual betting interests.

In summary, with seven of the individual betting interests in action before the Kentucky Derby Future wagering closes Sunday, it will be important to take a wait-and-see approach on those horses. Since this is a mutuel pool, a victory will certainly knock down a horse's odds significantly. Although a win will make a horse a more attractive contender, the resulting lower odds will probably make them an unattractive betting prospect.

Thus, once again, you should be looking to bet on other horses that you think will run big next time out and have higher odds. Suggestions being: Catholic Boy (30-1 ML), Gold Town (30-1 ML), Magnum Moon (30-1 ML), Noble Indy (50-1), and Sporting Chance (30-1 ML).

How often can you get 30-1 and 50-1 on Todd Pletcher runners? That's the beauty of the Future Wager.

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