Baffert horses are not named in 1st Ky. Derby Future Wager
The footprint of Churchill Downs’ ban of trainer Bob Baffert and his stable widened Monday, when his horses were excluded from the 22 individual choices revealed for this week's first pool of the pari-mutuel Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
“All other colts and geldings” were made the even-money, morning-line favorite in Pool 1 of the KDFW, which kicks off a four-day run at Churchill Downs on Thanksgiving Day. Jack Christopher, the impressive Champagne (G1) winner for trainer Chad Brown who expected to resume training in early 2022, was installed as a 10-1 second choice.
Pool 1 assumes that horses under the care of a trainer suspended from competing in the 2022 Kentucky Derby will not be under consideration. Since Baffert was suspended by Churchill Downs through the 2023 Derby, his prospects Corniche, Messier, Pinehurst and Rockefeller were not among the 22 individual betting interests. They were included within the pari-mutuel field.
Jack Christopher, who was expected to be the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite, was scratched from the Nov. 5 race and had a screw inserted into his left shin due to a stress fracture shortly thereafter.
“We will start him back (training) in early 2022 at WinStar Farm and then ship him to Palm Meadows and start his campaign in South Florida.” Bradley Weisbord, racing manager for co-owner Jim Bakke, told BloodHorse last Tuesday.
Here is the complete Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 field (with trainers, sires and morning line odds):
| Ky. Derby Future Wager | Trainer | Sire | ML |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ben Diesel | Dallas Stewart | Will Take Charge | 30-1 |
| 2. Classic Causeway | Brian Lynch | Giant’s Causeway | 15-1 |
| 3. Commandperformance | Todd Pletcher | Union Rags | 15-1 |
| 4. Double Thunder | Todd Pletcher | Super Saver | 30-1 |
| 5. Epicenter | Steve Asmussen | Not This Time | 30-1 |
| 6. Forced Ranking | Chad Brown | Mastery | 30-1 |
| 7. Giant Game | Dale Romans | Giant’s Causeway | 15-1 |
| 8. Graphic Detail | Bill Mott | Practical Joke | 50-1 |
| 9. Gunite | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner | 20-1 |
| 10. Howling Time | Dale Romans | Not This Time | 20-1 |
| 11. Jack Christopher | Chad Brown | Munnings | 10-1 |
| 12. Major General | Todd Pletcher | Constitution | 20-1 |
| 13. Mo Donegal | Todd Pletcher | Uncle Mo | 20-1 |
| 14. Osbourne | Ron Moquett | Tapiture | 30-1 |
| 15. Oviatt Class | Keith Desormeaux | Bernardini | 30-1 |
| 16. Pappacap | Mark Casse | Gun Runner | 12-1 |
| 17. Rattle N Roll | Kenny McPeek | Connect | 15-1 |
| 18. Smile Happy | Kenny McPeek | Runhappy | 50-1 |
| 19. Tiz the Bomb | Kenny McPeek | Hit It a Bomb | 20-1 |
| 20. Trafalgar | Al Stall Jr. | Lord Nelson | 50-1 |
| 21. Varatti | Todd Pletcher | Into Mischief | 50-1 |
| 22. Zandon | Chad Brown | Upstart | 30-1 |
| 23. All fillies* | 50-1 | ||
| 24. All other colts & geldings* | 1-1 | ||
| *From 2019 foal crop. |
The pool, which features $2 win and exacta wagering, opens Thursday at noon EST and will close Sunday at 6 p.m. EST.
The Kentucky Derby Future Wager will be offered concurrently with the seventh annual Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, which provides bettors with a unique opportunity to wager on select breeding stars and their entire crop of juveniles with the hope of winning next year’s Kentucky Derby.
Offspring sired by Quality Road, including Corniche, was made the individual 8-1 favorite by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. “All other sires” are the overall 6-1 morning-line favorite.
Here is the Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager field (with morning line odds):
| Ky. Derby Sire Future Wager | ML |
|---|---|
| 1. American Pharoah | 20-1 |
| 2. Candy Ride | 30-1 |
| 3. Curlin | 15-1 |
| 4. Empire Maker | 12-1 |
| 5. Giant’s Causeway | 15-1 |
| 6. Gun Runner | 15-1 |
| 7. Into Mischief | 20-1 |
| 8. Mastery | 30-1 |
| 9. Medaglia d’Oro | 30-1 |
| 10. Munnings | 12-1 |
| 11. Not This Time | 15-1 |
| 12. Nyquist | 30-1 |
| 13. Pioneerof the Nile | 30-1 |
| 14. Practical Joke | 20-1 |
| 15. Quality Road | 8-1 |
| 16. Run Happy | 20-1 |
| 17. Speightstown | 30-1 |
| 18. Street Sense | 20-1 |
| 19. Tapit | 15-1 |
| 20. Twirling Candy | 30-1 |
| 21. Uncle Mo | 20-1 |
| 22. Union Rags | 30-1 |
| 23. Violence | 30-1 |
| 24. All other sires | 6-1 |
This marks the ninth consecutive year Churchill Downs has hosted Future Wager pools in November on closing weekend of its fall meet.
The Kentucky Derby Future Wagers provide fans of Thoroughbred racing with opportunities to place bets on possible entrants in the Kentucky Derby at odds that could be far greater and more attractive than those available on the day of the race. The 148th running of Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Churchill Downs.
Bets may be placed at Churchill Downs racetrack and online wagering outlets and satellite wagering centers across North America.
There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week’s four-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby, betting on the individual horse would be suspended immediately.