Kentucky Derby 2022: Eligible or not, 10 Bafferts have Vegas odds
Seven-time Derby winner Bob Baffert might be banned by Churchill Downs from Kentucky Derby 2022, but his name is still good in Las Vegas.
Corniche, the 2-for-2 colt who won for Baffert in Friday’s American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita, was made the 15-1 favorite Monday by William Hill Nevada in its opening futures for the 2022 Derby.
Of the 127 horses listed, Baffert trains 10 of them, including three of the top five choices – Corniche, 2-for-2 Del Mar Futurity (G1) victor Pinehurst (25-1) and maiden winner Winning Map (35-1). Chad Brown’s Champagne (G1) winner Jack Christopher (20-1) and Mark Casse’s American Pharoah runner-up Pappacap (35-1) also are among the five shortest prices.
Because 2020 winner Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone, Churchill Downs banned Baffert and his horses from the next two runnings of the Kentucky Derby. Any points they might earn in preps are being vacated. Baffert already has taken legal action to contest the drug-testing process, and he is widely expected to go to court to fight the Derby ban.
Because all futures bets are action as long as the Derby is run sometime in 2022, a wager on a Baffert horse will be a loss if it remains ineligible to start in the race.
Steve Asmussen, who is 0-for-23 in the Derby, has 12 horses in the William Hill futures, the most of any trainer. Hopeful (G1) winner Gunite (75-1) and Del Mar Futurity third-place finisher American Xperiment (75-1) are the shortest-priced from his barn.
Two-time Derby winner Todd Pletcher trains nine of the futures choices. Champagne also-rans Commandperformance (60-1) and My Prankster (60-1) carry the shortest odds.
Practical Joke, who will have his first crop available for the Derby, is the stallion with the most progeny on the board at William Hill. His seven include Hopeful runner-up Wit (75-1), also trained by Pletcher, and maiden Bourbon Heist (75-1) from the Ian Wilkes stable. Gun Runner is next with six, including Pappacap.
All of the choices are male, including 11 geldings topped by two-time Florida stakes winner Octane (75-1).
Here are the 127 horses in William Hill Nevada’s opening 2022 Kentucky Derby futures:
| Odds | Horse | Trainer | Sire |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15-1 | Corniche | Bob Baffert | Quality Road |
| 20-1 | Jack Christopher | Chad Brown | Munnings |
| 25-1 | Pinehurst | Bob Baffert | Twirling Candy |
| 35-1 | Pappacap | Mark Casse | Gun Runner |
| 35-1 | Winning Map | Bob Baffert | Liam's Map |
| 60-1 | Classic Causeway | Brian Lynch | Giants's Causeway |
| 60-1 | My Prankster | Todd Pletcher | Into Mischief |
| 60-1 | Commandperformance | Todd Pletcher | Union Rags |
| 75-1 | Octane (g) | Carlos David | Brethren |
| 75-1 | Major General | Todd Pletcher | Constitution |
| 75-1 | Gunite | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 75-1 | Sir London | Simon Callaghan | Malibu Moon |
| 75-1 | Rockefeller | Bob Baffert | Medaglia d'Oro |
| 75-1 | Big City Lights | Luis Méndez | Mr. Big |
| 75-1 | American Xperiment | Steve Asmussen | Nyquist |
| 75-1 | Bourbon Heist | Ian Wilkes | Practical Joke |
| 75-1 | Wit | Todd Pletcher | Practical Joke |
| 75-1 | Tough to Tame | Chris Davis | Speightster |
| 75-1 | Murray | Bob Baffert | Street Sense |
| 85-1 | Kevin's Folly | Tom Amoss | Distorted Humor |
| 85-1 | Dr. Perry | Steve Asmussen | Into Mischief |
| 85-1 | Overstep | Todd Pletcher | Into Mischief |
| 85-1 | Kamui | Bob Baffert | Quality Road |
| 85-1 | Stellar Tap | Steve Asmussen | Tapit |
| 90-1 | Trafalgar | Al Stall Jr. | Lord Nelson |
| 100-1 | Affable Monarch | Jorge Duarte | Arrogate |
| 100-1 | Oviatt Class | Keith Desormeaux | Bernardini |
| 100-1 | O Captain | Gustavo Delgado | Carpe Diem |
| 100-1 | High Oak | Bill Mott | Gormley |
| 100-1 | Guntown | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 100-1 | Varatti | Todd Pletcher | Into Mischief |
| 100-1 | H P Moon (r) | Lacey Gaudet | Malibu Moon |
| 100-1 | Midnight Worker | Todd Pletcher | Outwork |
| 100-1 | White Abarrio | Carlos Luis Pérez | Raceday |
| 100-1 | Double Thunder | Todd Pletcher | Super Saver |
| 120-1 | Skippylongstocking | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Exaggerator |
| 125-1 | Defend | Cathal Lynch | American Freedom |
| 125-1 | Sonnyisnotsofunny | Mike Maker | American Freedom |
| 125-1 | Enbarr | Bob Baffert | Brody's Cause |
| 125-1 | Cajun's Magic (g) | Michael Yates | Cajun Breeze |
| 125-1 | Gold Rush Candy | Bob Baffert | Danzing Candy |
| 125-1 | Nakatomi (g) | Wesley Ward | Firing Line |
| 125-1 | Flying Drummer | Bob Baffert | Gun Runner |
| 125-1 | Elusive Target | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 125-1 | Red Run | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 125-1 | Chancellor Bay | Daniel Pita | Honor Code |
| 125-1 | Key Point | Chad Brown | Into Mischief |
| 125-1 | Chattalot | Steve Asmussen | Midnight Lute |
| 125-1 | Cogburn | Steve Asmussen | Not This Time |
| 125-1 | Longshadow | Kelsey Danner | Tapiture |
| 125-1 | Keepcalmcarryon | Todd Pletcher | Union Rags |
| 135-1 | Judge Davis | Shug McGaughey | Distorted Humor |
| 135-1 | Headline Report (g) | Wesley Ward | Gormley |
| 135-1 | Finneus | Walther Solis | Stay Thirsty |
| 135-1 | Coinage | Mark Casse | Tapit |
| 135-1 | Roger McQueen | Larry Rivelli | Unified |
| 150-1 | Stolen Base | Mike Maker | Bodemeister |
| 150-1 | Dean Delivers (g) | Michael Yates | Cajun Breeze |
| 150-1 | Full Disclosure (g) | Michael Yates | Cajun Breeze |
| 150-1 | Nineties Country | Brad Cox | Connect |
| 150-1 | Montebello | Bob Baffert | Curlin |
| 150-1 | Little Drama | Steve Asmussen | Dramedy |
| 150-1 | Strike Hard | Matthew Williams | Flashback |
| 150-1 | Cool Papa G | Steve Asmussen | Maclean's Music |
| 150-1 | Freelancer | Brendan Walsh | Medaglia d'Oro |
| 150-1 | Great Escape | Rodolphe Brisset | Midnight Storm |
| 150-1 | Cattin | Ralph Nicks | Neolithic |
| 150-1 | Line Change | Mike Stidham | Nyquist |
| 150-1 | Baladi | Brendan Walsh | Pioneerof the Nile |
| 150-1 | Little Vic | Juan Carlos Ávila | Practical Joke |
| 150-1 | Overbore | Wesley Ward | Speightstown |
| 150-1 | Street Art | Keith Desormeaux | Street Boss |
| 150-1 | Lucky Boss | Ken McPeek | Street Boss |
| 175-1 | Forbidden Kingdom | Richard Mandella | American Pharoah |
| 175-1 | Aquitania Arrival | Peter Miller | Carpe Diem |
| 175-1 | Feelthebeat | Norman McKnight | Cupid |
| 175-1 | Glacial | Norm Casse | Frosted |
| 175-1 | Spuntacular | Juan Carlos Ávila | Hard Spun |
| 175-1 | Shipsational | Ed Barker | Midshipman |
| 175-1 | Hoist the Gold | Dallas Stewart | Mineshaft |
| 175-1 | Speaking (g) | Eddie Owens Jr. | Mr Speaker |
| 175-1 | Tengo Mis Papeles | Bret Calhoun | My Golden Song |
| 175-1 | Howling Time | Dale Romans | Not This Time |
| 175-1 | Power Agenda | Todd Pletcher | Nyquist |
| 175-1 | Page One | Brad Cox | Practical Joke |
| 175-1 | Joker Boy | Brian Koriner | Practical Joke |
| 175-1 | Practical Coach | Butch Reid | Practical Joke |
| 175-1 | Don't Wait Up | Tony Dutrow | Upstart |
| 200-1 | Deal Go Down | Mark Casse | Cairo Prince |
| 200-1 | Cairama | Steve Asmussen | Cairo Prince |
| 200-1 | Senbei | Christophe Clément | Candy Ride |
| 200-1 | Ava K's Boy | Carlos Martín | Classic Empire |
| 200-1 | Bourbon's Hope (g) | Charlton Baker | Exaggerator |
| 200-1 | Fight Your Corner | Tony Margotta | Frosted |
| 200-1 | Daufuskie Island | Jeremiah Englehart | Goldencents |
| 200-1 | Blue Kentucky (g) | Wayne Catalano | Include |
| 200-1 | Barese | Mike Maker | Laoban |
| 200-1 | Rotknee | Mike Maker | Runhappy |
| 200-1 | What in Blazes | Jerry Hollendorfer | Straight Fire |
| 200-1 | Bochombo | Luis Méndez | Street Boss |
| 200-1 | Unified Report | Dallas Stewart | Unified |
| 225-1 | Mr. Mox (g) | Jamie Ness | Divining Rod |
| 225-1 | Trip to Spain | Jamey Thomas | Stay Thirsty |
| 225-1 | Rock N Rye | Walther Solis | Stay Thirsty |
| 225-1 | Candy Landing (r) | Brendan Walsh | Twirling Candy |
| 250-1 | Trust Our Journey | Carlos David | American Pharoah |
| 250-1 | Hope in Him | Joe Orseno | Chitu |
| 250-1 | Twenty Four Mamba | Mark Casse | Classic Empire |
| 250-1 | Dance Code | Juan Vázquez | Honor Code |
| 250-1 | Who Hoo Thats Me | Jorge Abreu | Keen Ice |
| 250-1 | Avant Glory | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Khozan |
| 250-1 | Tops the Chart | Jorge Duarte | Maclean's Music |
| 250-1 | Of A Revolution | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Maclean's Music |
| 250-1 | Whittington Park | Brad Cox | Midnight Lute |
| 250-1 | On The Come Up | Kelly Breen | Mission Impazible |
| 250-1 | Forty Stripes | Jerry Hollendorfer | Munnings |
| 250-1 | King Cab (g) | Eddie Plesa Jr. | Noble Bird |
| 250-1 | In Due Time | Kelly Breen | Not This Time |
| 250-1 | Legendary Lore | Bill Morey | Practical Joke |
| 250-1 | Thirsty Always | Walther Solis | Stay Thirsty |
| 250-1 | Run Curtis Run | Mike Maker | Summer Front |
| 250-1 | Texas Red Hot | Randy Morse | Texas Red |
| 250-1 | Bet On Mookie | Peter Miller | Uncaptured |
| 275-1 | Desert Ruler | Daniel Pita | Candy Ride |
| 275-1 | Lightening Larry | Jeff Engler | Uncaptured |
| 300-1 | Baytown Frosty | Paul McEntee | Frosted |
| 350-1 | Kavod | Jim Chapman | Lea |