Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool 3: Forte is individual favorite
Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool 3 is set for its three-day stand Friday-Sunday where fans will have the third of six early opportunities to bet the contenders pointed toward Kentucky Derby 2023.
Pool 3 is led by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Forte, who was made the 10-1 individual betting favorite, and the pari-mutuel field of “all other 3-year-old colts and geldings” not listed in the 38 individual betting interests was tabbed as the heavy 6-5 choice.
Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool 3, which features $2 win and exacta wagering, will open Friday at noon EST and close Sunday at 6 p.m.
Forte, who jumped onto the early Road to the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) in October, closed as the 10-1 individual favorite in pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which spanned Nov. 24-27. The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Violence also took heavy interest in pool 1, where he closed at 16-1. Forte was given time off after the Breeders’ Cup and has yet to make his 3-year-old debut.
Trainer Brad Cox has a roster of 11 3-year-olds in pool 3, led by the returning Breeders’ Futurity runner-up Loggins (20-1) and undefeated Corona Bolt (20-1). The others are Victory Formation (30-1), Giant Mischief (40-1), Instant Coffee (40-1), Jace’s Road (40-1), Verifying (40-1), Tapit Shoes (50-1), Angel of Empire (80-1), Hit Show (80-1) and Tapit’s Conquest (99-1).
Here is the pool 3 field for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, with trainer morning-line odds provided by Mike Battaglia and sire.
| KDFW | Trainer | Sire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40. All other 3-year-old males | 6-5 | ||
| 13. Forte | 10-1 | Todd Pletcher | Violence |
| 6. Corona Bolt | 20-1 | Brad Cox | Bolt d'Oro |
| 12. Extra Anejo | 20-1 | Steve Asmussen | Into Mischief |
| 22. Loggins | 20-1 | Brad Cox | Ghostzapper |
| 10. Dubyuhnell | 30-1 | Danny Gargan | Good Magid |
| 33. Tapit Trice | 30-1 | Todd Pletcher | Tapit |
| 37. Victory Formation | 30-1 | Brad Cox | Tapwrit |
| 39. All 3-year-old fillies | 30-1 | ||
| 3. Banishing | 40-1 | Brendan Walsh | Ghostzapper |
| 4. Blazing Sevens | 40-1 | Chad Brown | Good Magic |
| 8. Cyclone Mischief | 40-1 | Dale Romans | Into Mischief |
| 14. Giant Mischief | 40-1 | Brad Cox | Into Mischief |
| 18. Instant Coffee | 40-1 | Brad Cox | Bolt d'Oro |
| 19 Jace's Road | 40-1 | Brad Cox | Quality Road |
| 30. Signator | 40-1 | Shug McGaughey | Tapit |
| 36. Verifying | 40-1 | Brad Cox | Justify |
| 2. Arctic Arrogance | 50-1 | Linda Rice | Frosted |
| 23. Lugan Knight | 50-1 | Michael McCarthy | Goldencents |
| 32. Tapit Shoes | 50-1 | Brad Cox | Tapit |
| 38. Wildatlanticstorm | 50-1 | Ray Ashford Jr. | Stormy Atlantic |
| 1. Angel of Empire | 80-1 | Brad Cox | Classic Empire |
| 7. Curly Jack | 80-1 | Tom Amoss | Good Magic |
| 9. Disarm | 80-1 | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 11. Echo Again | 80-1 | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 15. Gulfport | 80-1 | Steve Asmussen | Good Magic |
| 16. Gun Pilot | 80-1 | Steve Asmussen | Gun Runner |
| 17. Hit Show | 80-1 | Brad Cox | Candy Ride |
| 20. Kingsbarns | 80-1 | Todd Pletcher | Uncle Mo |
| 21. Litigate | 80-1 | Todd Pletcher | Blame |
| 24. Practical Move | 80-1 | Tim Yakteen | Practical Joke |
| 28. Shesterkin | 80-1 | Todd Pletcher | Violence |
| 29. Shopper's Revenge | 80-1 | Steve Asmussen | Tapit |
| 35. Two Phil's | 80-1 | Larry Rivelli | Hard Spun |
| 5. Confidence Game | 99-1 | Keith Desormeaux | Candy Ride |
| 25. Prairie Hawk | 99-1 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Curlin |
| 26. Recruiter | 99-1 | Cal Lynch | Army Mule |
| 27. Rocket Can | 99-1 | Bill Mott | Into Mischief |
| 31. Sun Thunder | 99-1 | Kenny McPeek | Into Mischief |
| 34. Tapit's Conquest | 99-1 | Brad Cox | Tapit |
In total, there are 17 new betting interests in pool 3 from pool 2: Angel of Empire, Arctic Arrogance, Banishing, Confidence Game, Dubyuhnell, Gun Pilot, Jace’s Road, Kingsbarns, Lugan Knight, Prairie Hawk, Shesterkin, Shopper’s Revenge, Sun Thunder, Tapit Shoes, Tapit Trice, Two Phil’s and Wildatlanticstorm.
As with the first two pools, betting interest No. 39 is an option for gamblers to wager on all 3-year-old fillies. In pool 2, it closed at 29-1 and 37-1 in pool 1. Two of the nation’s top 3-year-old fillies already have been listed as early nominees to become eligible against open company in the March 25 Louisiana Derby (G2): Hoosier Philly and Wonder Wheel.
All told, six future wager pools are scheduled in advance of the 2023 Kentucky Derby. The first two were held Nov. 1-3 and Nov. 24-27. Other pools will be held Feb. 10-12 (pool 4); March 10-12 (pool 5); and March 30-April 1 (pool 6). The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5 on March 10-12.
As was the case last year, pool 3 will assume that horses under the care of trainers suspended from competing in the 2023 Kentucky Derby will not be under consideration. Instead, they will be included in the pari-mutuel field.