See what Las Vegas thinks of the Risen Star runners
The Grade 2 Risen Star is the only Kentucky Derby points prep is on this weekend's calendar, but it's the first to offer 50-20-10-5 points to its top four finishers.
And the Fair Grounds event boasts a strong field, including Smile Happy, the top individual choice in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3, which closed Sunday.
In the tables below, you can see the best odds available from either Caesars Sportsbook at William Hill Nevada or Circa Sports for likely the runners in the Risen Star. Although this is hardly a perfect barometer, it offers insight to how bettors are thinking. For horses not listed, the two Las Vegas racebooks could add them later this week.
| Horse | Trainer | Best Kentucky Derby futures odds | KDFW Pool 3 odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smile Happy | Ken McPeek | 14-1 | 8-1 |
| Epicenter | Steve Asmussen | 25-1 | 24-1 |
| Zandon | Chad Brown | 28-1 | 21-1 |
| Slow Down Andy | Doug O'Neill | 30-1 | 23-1 |
| Pappacap | Mark Casse | 50-1 | 31-1 |
| Bodock | Brad Cox | 200-1 | NA |
| Trafalgar | Al Stall Jr. | 200-1 | NA |
| Pioneer of Medina | Todd Pletcher | NA | NA |
| Russian Tank | Gennadi Dorochenko | NA | NA |
| Tawny Port | Brad Cox | NA | NA |
Smile Happy is 2-for-2 and won the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) last out by 4 1/4 lengths over Classic Causeway, who went on to Saturday's Sam F. Davis (G3). He was the individual favorite in pools 1, 2 and 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, helped by large bets from businessman Jim McIngvale, owner of Smile Happy sire Runhappy.