What Is the Kentucky Derby Future Wager?
The Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a pari-mutuel wager offered by Churchill Downs that allows racing fans to wager early on prospective entrants in Kentucky Derby 126, which will be run on May 6, 2000. The minimum wager is $2 and the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a win wager only. All Kentucky Derby Future wagers will be merged through the Kentucky hub located at Churchill Downs.

When Will The Wager Be Offered?
There will be three separate wagering pools for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager in the months leading up to the race with the winner of each pool being determined by the official first place finisher in Kentucky Derby 126 on May 6. Each of these pools will be open for a period of four days, running from Thursday at 12:00 p.m.(EST) to Sunday at 4:30 p.m.(EST). Pool 1 opens Thursday, February 17 and closes Sunday, February 20. Pool 2 opens March 9 and closes March 12. Pool 3, the final wagering pool, opens April 13 and closes April 16. Current odds and other merged pool information will be available Thursday-through-Saturday from 12:00 p.m. (EST) to 11:00 p.m. (EST) and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. (EST) until 4:30 p.m. (EST).

How Many Wagering Interests Will Be Included?
Each pool in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will include 24 wagering interests. Those interests will include 23 horses chosen by a three-member committee of racing analysts and handicappers and the 24th wagering interest will be a mutuel field that consists of all other three-year-old thoroughbreds. The horses do not have to be nominated to the Kentucky Derby and Visa Triple Crown Challenge to be included in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager's mutuel field. The horses included in each of the wagering pools will be listed alphabetically and will appear in the daily race program with morning line odds established by Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby handicapper Mike Battaglia.

How Will The Final Payout Be Determined?
The payout on the winning wagers in each of the three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will be determined by the final odds at the time of closing of each of the respective pools. Remember, there will be a separate and independent calculation and distribution of winning wagers for each of the three pools.

What is the takeout on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager?
The takeout on the Future Wager is 16%, the standard takeout on a win wager under Kentucky Racing Commission regulations.

When will patrons be eligible for refunds?
No refunds will be issued in any of the three wagering pools for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. All wagers are final once the patron has left the window. If Churchill Downs learns that a horse listed among the wagering interests in any of the three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will not be able to compete in the 2000 Kentucky Derby, wagering on that horse will be suspended. Churchill Downs will make reasonable efforts to notify its patrons and participating sites in that event and urges the participating sites to do the same, but no refunds will be issued on the suspended number.

What If The Kentucky Derby, For Whatever Reason, Is Not Run?
In the extremely unlikely event that the 2000 Kentucky Derby is not run or does not produce an official winner, all wagers on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will result in a refund.

When Will Final Payouts of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Be Made?
All calculations and payouts for the Kentucky Derby Future Wagers are governed by Kentucky Racing Commission regulations. The winning payouts will be made within 24 hours of the posting of the official winner of the 2000 Kentucky Derby.

When Will The Respective Fields For the Future Wager Pools Be Determined?
The official fields for each of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will be released at the standard entry time of 48 hours before the start of wagering. At that time, past performance and program information will be made available through Equibase, the Daily Racing Form, etc. A preliminary field, complete with morning line, will be released to the public seven days prior to the establishment of the official field. If a horse suffers a career-ending or fatal injury or illness during that seven-day period, it will be removed from the seven-day preliminary field and replaced by another horse when the official field is announced 48 hours from the start of wagering.

If The Winner Of The Kentucky Derby Is A Member Of An Entry Or A Mutuel Field, Will Those Holding Tickets On The Winner's Entrymate Also Win?
No. If the Kentucky Derby winner is part of an entry of two or more horses or a member of a mutuel field in the Derby, the only winning tickets will be those purchased on the individual Derby winner in any or all of the three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools.

For More Information On The Kentucky Derby Future Wager, contact:

Tote Information --
Matt Bonar
United Tote
(502) 636-1522
(502) 636-5953 fax

Contract Information /General Information --
Ace Hazelip
(502) 636-4455
(502) 636-4552 fax

Shelly Wagner
(502) 636-4542
(502) 636-4552 fax