Kentucky Derby Future Wager: Forte closes as 5-2 favorite
Five weeks in advance of Kentucky Derby 2023 and less than an hour before he won the Florida Derby (G1), Forte was made the 5-2 favorite with stablemates Kingsbarns, last week’s Louisiana Derby (G2) winner, and Tapit Trice, the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) victor, each at 11-1 in the sixth and final pool of the pari-mutuel Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
All three horses are trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher.
The three-day pool closed Saturday at 6 p.m. EDT in advance of the Florida Derby and the Arkansas Derby (G1), the day’s two major points preps.
Total handle for the March 30-April 1 KDFW pool, the last pool in advance of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6, was $369,443, a drop of 17 percent from the comparable time in 2022. Bets totaled $271,230 to win and $98,213 in exactas.
KDFWs this year were expanded to include 40 betting choices per pool, up from 24.
These were the final win odds confirmed by Churchill Downs:
| KDFW pool 6 | Odds | $2 will pay | Wagers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Angel of Empire | 29-1 | $61.14 | $7,318 |
| 2. Arctic Arrogance | 165-1 | $333.64 | $1,341 |
| 3. Blazing Sevens | 46-1 | $94.98 | $4,710 |
| 4. Bourbon Bash | 100-1 | $202.64 | $2,208 |
| 5. Classic Car Wash | 169-1 | $340.96 | $1,312 |
| 6. Confidence Game | 29-1 | $61.42 | $7,284 |
| 7. Continuar | 54-1 | $110.56 | $4,047 |
| 8. Cyclone Mischief | 88-1 | $179.74 | $2,489 |
| 9. Derma Sotogake | 13-1 | $28.18 | $15,875 |
| 10. Disarm | 33-1 | $68.10 | $6,571 |
| 11. Dreamlike | 143-1 | $289.02 | $1,548 |
| 12. Dubyuhnell | 111-1 | $225.32 | $1,986 |
| 13. Fort Bragg | 58-1 | $119.66 | $3,739 |
| 14. Forte | 5-2 | $7.78 | $57,506 |
| 15. Geaux Rocket Ride | 33-1 | $68.38 | $6,543 |
| 16. Hayes Strike | 404-1 | $810.96 | $551 |
| 17. Hit Show | 30-1 | $63.20 | $7,080 |
| 18. I Don't Get It | 238-1 | $478.90 | $934 |
| 19. Instant Coffee | 49-1 | $101.94 | $4,390 |
| 20. Jace's Road | 118-1 | $238.04 | $1,879 |
| 21. Kingsbarns | 11-1 | $24.56 | $18,212 |
| 22. Mage | 46-1 | $95.54 | $4,683 |
| 23. Mandarin Hero | 99-1 | $200.48 | $2,232 |
| 24. Mendelssohns March | 212-1 | $427.52 | $1,046 |
| 25. National Treasure | 44-1 | $90.06 | $4,968 |
| 26. Practical Move | 14-1 | $31.56 | $14,178 |
| 27. Raise Cain | 81-1 | $165.10 | $2,710 |
| 28. Red Route One | 24-1 | $51.72 | $8,652 |
| 29. Reincarnate | 24-1 | $51.70 | $8,654 |
| 30. Rocket Can | 32-1 | $66.14 | $6,764 |
| 31. Shadow Dragon | 299-1 | $600.12 | $745 |
| 32. Skinner | 49-1 | $101.98 | $4,387 |
| 33. Slip Mahoney | 130-1 | $262.44 | $1,705 |
| 34. Sun Thunder | 113-1 | $228.72 | $1,956 |
| 35. Tapit Trice | 11-1 | $25.72 | $17,388 |
| 36. Two Eagles River | 38-1 | $78.58 | $5,695 |
| 37. Two Phil's | 21-1 | $44.02 | $10,164 |
| 38. Verifying | 50-1 | $102.78 | $4,354 |
| 39. Wild On Ice | 190-1 | $383.16 | $1,167 |
| 40. All other 3-year-olds | 17-1 | $36.56 | $12,240 |
| Win pool | $271,230 | ||
| Exacta pool | $98,212 | ||
| KDFW pool 6 total | $369,442 |