Horse Betting World

Kentucky Derby Future Wager – A Good Bet?

By Joey Adams

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80 days. That’s all that remains until Kentucky Derby 137 on May 7 at Churchill Downs. While it may seem we’re still a long way from the big race, 80 days is actually precious little time for prospective three-year-olds to solidify their status by garnering enough graded earnings to make the starting lineup.

The early deadline for Triple Crown nominations was January 22, and 364 three-year-olds were nominated for a fee of $600. Topping that list was two-year-old champion, and early Kentucky Derby favorite, UNCLE MO. He was one of twenty nominations for trainer Todd Pletcher. Multiple Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert also had twenty nominations.

Two of the initial nominations, BOYS AT TOSCONOVA and TAPIZAR, have already been removed from Kentucky Derby consideration due to poor training and injury, respectively. Due to the pressures and stress of the Triple Crown Trail, there will be many more defections in the weeks ahead.

This weekend marks the beginning of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. During three separate betting periods, horseplayers have an opportunity to bet on their favorite Derby contenders well ahead of the actual race – hoping to lock in those contenders at better prices than they will offer on Derby Day. Is this a wager worthy of your hard-earned dollars?

There have been 12 previous Kentucky Derby Future Wagers. Each wagering period offers 23 individual betting interests, plus a mutuel field consisting of “all other three-year-olds.” The list of individual betting interests will change from one wagering period to the next, with new horses added and others removed, becoming part of the mutuel field.

The poster child for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is FUNNY CIDE. When he won the 2003 Kentucky Derby he paid $27.60 – those who bet him in the Future Wager got $188.00! Over the last 12 years, seven Kentucky Derby winners (58%) paid more in the Future Wager than they did on race day:

2010 … SUPER SAVER … $43.20 … $18.00
2008 … BIG BROWN … $8.60 … $6.80
2007 … STREET SENSE … $22.80 … $11.80
2006 … BARBARO … $40.20 … $14.20
2003 … FUNNY CIDE … $188.00 … $27.60
2001 … MONARCHOS … $36.60 … $23.00
2000 … FUSAICHI PEGASUS … $27.80 … $6.60

Unlike true Future Wagers offered in the Las Vegas or online sportbooks, the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a pari-mutuel wager – you may not get the actual price at the time you make your bet, unless you place that wager at the end of the betting period. Therefore, there really is no reason to place your wagers early. The betting for each period will open at noon (ET) on a Friday and close at 6:00PM (ET) on a Sunday. If you are inclined to play this wager, the best advice is to wait until as late as possible on Sunday, in order to ensure you get the best possible price.

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER

- Derby Pool 1 … Friday, February 18 – Sunday, February 29
- Derby Pool 2 … Friday, March 11 – Sunday, March 13
- Derby Pool 3 … Friday, April 1 – Sunday, April 3

KENTUCKY OAKS FUTURE WAGER

- Oaks Pool … Friday, March 11 – Sunday, March 13