Field favored in final Future Wager

Lookin at Lucky was the favorite among the individual interests in the KDFW Pool 3 (Benoit Photos) LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike) and the field were both bet down to 9-2 when wagering closed on the third and final Pool of Churchill Downs’ 2010 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Sunday evening, but the field earned favoritism status. The “all others” wager was also favored in both of this year’s earlier KDFW pools. It closed as the 3-2 choice in February’s Pool 1 and the 3-1 fan’s choice when wagering ended for Pool 2 on March 7. The “all others” bet has been the favorite in the opening pool of the KDFW every year since the wager was launched in 1999, but 2010 marks the first time that it has been the fan’s choice in the year’s third and final pool. The margin that separated the field wager from Lookin at Lucky was razor-thin, as both were 9-2 risks when wagering on the three-day pool concluded across North America at 6 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday. However, actual closing odds for the mutuel field were $4.50-to-1, while the Bob Baffert-trained Lookin at Lucky stood at $4.90-to-$1. Lookin at Lucky, who is likely to make his final Kentucky Derby prep in Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby (G1), closed as the 9-1 third choice in the second KDFW and is the 8-1 second choice from Pool 1.

ESKENDEREYA (Giant’s Causeway), one of trainer Todd Pletcher’s record seven
individual horses in Pool 3, was the only other individual horse who closed at
single-digit odds when wagering ended on Sunday. The chestnut was bet down to
5-1, the same odds at which he closed as the individual betting favorite in Pool
2. Headed for the Wood Memorial S. (G1) on Saturday at Aqueduct, Eskendereya is
listed at 22-1 for Pool 1.

Individual horses that received solid support during the just-concluded final
Derby Futures Wager of 2010 included Gotham S. (G3) hero AWESOME ACT (Awesome
Again), who closed at 13-1 ahead of his expected start in the Wood Memorial;
Grade 1 victor DUBLIN (Afleet Alex) (18-1), going in the Arkansas Derby (G1) on
April 10; Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner ODYSSEUS (Malibu Moon) (18-1), who is
headed for either the Arkansas Derby or Blue Grass S. (G1) on the same day;
Grade 1 scorer NOBLE’S PROMISE (Cuvee) (19-1), set for the Arkansas Derby;
Florida Derby (G1) king ICE BOX (Pulpit)(19-1), who is training up to the
Kentucky Derby; dual Grade 3 winner CONVEYANCE (Indian Charlie) (19-1), second
in Sunday’s Sunland Derby (G3); and multiple Grade 2 hero and Santa Anita Derby
hopeful SIDNEY’S CANDY (Candy Ride [Arg]) (22-1).

A total of $310,154 was wagered in Pool 3, with $224,358 specified as win
wagers and $85,796 going into exacta bets. Combined wagering for the three 2010
pools was $1,132,055.

Exacta payouts and other Kentucky Derby Future Wager information are
available online under “Contenders” and “News” at
www.kentuckyderby.com, the
official website for the 136th running of America’s greatest race and the
definitive online resource for information about the Kentucky Derby
experience.  

2010 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE
WAGER

Final Odds — Pool 3

(*) denotes new wagering
interest in Pool 3