Kentucky Derby Future Wager: See closing odds for final pool
Four weeks in advance of the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby, bettors made Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter the 9-2 favorite over Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Messier at 6-1 in the fifth and final pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Forbidden Kingdom, last in the Santa Anita Derby, and Smile Happy, second in the Blue Grass, each closed at 9-1.
The three-day pool closed Saturday at 4:30 p.m. EDT in advance of the day’s trio of Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series races, the Wood Memorial (G2), Blue Grass and Santa Anita Derby.
Horses in order of the public’s betting choice (with Pool 5 odds, $2 win will-pays, trainers and sires):
| KDFW Pool 5 | Odds | $2 will pay | Trainer | Sire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7. Epicenter | 9-2 | $11.20 | Steve Asmussen | Not This Time |
| 11. Messier | 6-1 | $14.00 | Tim Yakteen | Empire Maker |
| 17. Smile Happy | 9-1 | $20.00 | Kenny McPeek | Summer Front |
| 9. Forbidden Kingdom | 9-1 | $21.60 | Richard Mandella | American Pharoah |
| 21. White Abarrio | 12-1 | $26.60 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Race Day |
| 13. Morello | 15-1 | $33.00 | Steve Asmussen | Classic Empire |
| 2. Charge It | 16-1 | $34.20 | Todd Pletcher | Tapit |
| 4. Cyberknife | 17-1 | $37.80 | Brad Cox | Gun Runner |
| 24. All other 3-year-olds | 18-1 | $39.00 | ||
| 22. Zandon | 18-1 | $39.20 | Chad Brown | Upstart |
| 20. Tiz the Bomb | 22-1 | $46.80 | Kenny McPeek | Hit It a Bomb |
| 3. Crown Pride | 24-1 | $51.20 | Koichi Shintani | Reach the Crown |
| 12. Mo Donegal | 24-1 | $51.60 | Todd Pletcher | Uncle Mo |
| 1. Barber Road | 28-1 | $58.80 | John Ortiz | Race Day |
| 5. Early Voting | 29-1 | $60.80 | Chad Brown | Gun Runner |
| 15. Simplification | 32-1 | $66.80 | Antonio Sano | Nyquist |
| 6. Emmanuel | 35-1 | $72.80 | Todd Pletcher | More Than Ready |
| 8. Ethereal Road | 40-1 | $82.80 | D. Wayne Lukas | Quality Road |
| 23. Zozos | 40-1 | $83.40 | Brad Cox | Munnings |
| 16. Slow Down Andy | 50-1 | $103.80 | Doug O'Neill | Runhappy |
| 18. Summer Is Tomorrow | 66-1 | $135.20 | Bhupat Seemar | Pioneerof the Nile |
| 10. In Due Time | 95-1 | $192.40 | Kelly Breen | Not This Time |
| 19. Tawny Port | 114-1 | $231.60 | Brad Cox | Pioneerof the Nile |
| 14. Pioneer of Medina | 123-1 | $249.80 | Todd Pletcher | Pioneerof the Nile |
| Win pool | $320,064 | |||
| Exacta pool | $124,274 | |||
| Total handle | $444,338 |
Total handle for the April 7-9 KDFW, the final pool in advance of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, was $444,338 ($320,064 in the win pool and $124,274 in exactas), a 20.2 percent increase from last year’s $369,695 ($242,140 in the win pool and $127,555 in exactas).
Since last November, a record total of $2,060,691 has been bet on future wagers for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, a 15.7 percent increase from last year’s $1,780,403.