Nine new offerings entered the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3 picture, but two familiar names continue holding court as the KDFW favorites. Essential Quality and Life Is Good opened as individual 8/1 morning-line favorites in the third of five KDFW pools.
As expected, however, the overall favorite is “All Other 3-Year-Olds†– aka, the field. Churchill Downs morning-line author Mike Battaglia installed that umbrella choice as the 7/2 overall favorite.
There will be 24 betting options available when the pool opens Friday at 9 a.m. PT. Bettors have until Sunday at 3 p.m. PT to choose that field favorite, or from the 23 individual selections. Bettors can wager $2 win and exacta bets at TwinSpires.com, its ADW, or at tracks or simulcast centers around the US.
Every bet becomes action. If a horse suffers an injury, illness, or any other incident that takes it off the Derby trail, Churchill Downs officials said they will suspend betting on that horse immediately.
Life Is Good to Baffert and His Charges
Led by co-favorite Life Is Good, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert trains four of the 23 individual Kentucky Derby Future Wager choices. That’s down from the five he shepherded into Pool 2 last month. Baffert loses Spielberg and Bezos from his Derby betting armada.
Battaglia erased both from this pool after Spielberg ran a distant fourth in the Robert B. Lewis, and the previously unraced Bezos ran a disappointing seventh in his debut. But, Baffert adds Freedom Fighter (20/1) to a lineup also featuring Life Is Good, Medina Spirit (20/1), and Concert Tour (20/1).
Concert Tour and Freedom Fighter completed an all-Baffert exacta in last weekend’s Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes.
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Welcomes Mott
Brad Cox lost Prate from Pool 2, but kept three of his four Derby mainstays, including Essential Quality, Caddo River (12/1), and Mandaloun (30/1). Essential Quality closed at 8/1 in both earlier pools.
Bill Mott jumps into the pool after the conditioner’s Candy Man Rocket and Nova Rags went 1-2 in last weekend’s Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Candy Man Rocket (20/1) and Nova Rags (30/1) join their fellow Derby prep winner from last week, Withers Stakes winner Risk Taking (15/1). Along with 20/1 Highly Motivated, Risk Taking is one of two Chad Brown horses on the board.
2021 Kentucky Derby Future Wager-Pool 2
| Trainer | Odds | |
| Caddo River | Brad Cox | 12/1 |
| Candy Man Rocket | Bill Mott | 20/1 |
| Concert Tour | Bob Baffert | 20/1 |
| Dream Shake | Peter Eurton | 20/1 |
| Essential Quality | Brad Cox | 8/1 |
| Fire At Will | Mike Maker | 50/1 |
| Freedom Fighter | Bob Baffert | 20/1 |
| Greatest Honour | Shug McGaughey | 15/1 |
| Highly Motivated | Chad Brown | 20/1 |
| Hot Rod Charlie | Doug O’Neill | 20/1 |
| Jackie’s Warrior | Steve Asmussen | 30/1 |
| Keepmeinmind | Robertino Diodoro | 20/1 |
| Life Is Good | Bob Baffert | 8/1 |
| Mandaloun | Brad Cox | 30/1 |
| Medina Spirit | Bob Baffert | 20/1 |
| Midnight Bourbon | Steve Asmussen | 30/1 |
| Nova Rags | Bill Mott | 30/1 |
| Prevalence | Brendan Walsh | 20/1 |
| Risk Taking | Chad Brown | 15/1 |
| Roman Centurian | Â Simon Callaghan | 30/1 |
| Señor Buscador | Todd Fincher | 30/1 |
| Swiftsure | Steve Asmussen | 30/1 |
| The Great One | Doug O’Neill | 20/1 |
| All Other 3-Year-Olds | — | 7/2 |
Other newcomers include Lewis runner-up Roman Centurian (30/1), Brendan Walsh’s Prevalence (20/1), who won his debut by 8-½ lengths, undefeated Swiftsure (30/1), 14-length maiden-breaker The Great One (20/1), and Dream Shake (20/1). The latter won his debut by 4-¾ lengths last Sunday at Santa Anita, beating heralded Baffert products Bezos and Tivoli Twirl.
We should see Essential Quality, Jackie’s Warrior (30/1), Keepmeinmind (20/1), Mandaloun, and Señor Buscador this weekend. Essential Quality and Jackie’s Warrior are entered in Monday’s Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Mandaloun and Señor Buscador are in Saturday’s Risen Star at Fair Grounds. Keepmeinmind is entered in both.
Fire At Will Blasts His Way Into KDFW
This Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool’s individual odds go from 8/1 to one 50/1 offering – Mike Maker’s Fire At Will. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner will make his next start on dirt.
The next Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool is March 5-7. Piggy-backing with that is the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager Pool. The fifth and final KDFW pool is March 26-28.