War Pass Remains Narrow Favorite in Pool 2

Robert LaPenta’s unbeaten War Pass, the champion 2-year-old of 2007 and winner of the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I), remained a narrow favorite at the midway point of Pool 2 of Churchill Downs’ 2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager – but the mutuel field, or “all others,” picked up strong support among racing fans across North America.

War Pass, a son of Cherokee Run trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Nick Zito, remained the choice of fans who hoped to place an early wager on the winner of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) on May 3 at Churchill Downs. But his odds rose to 7-2 after the colt had stood as the 5-2 choice following Thursday’s opening session of betting in the four-day wagering pool. The mutuel field, a betting interest that consists of all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses in Pool 2, stood at 4-1 on Friday evening – down from its Thursday odds of 6-1. Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Pyro, winner of the Risen Star (GIII) and favorite in Saturday’s Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds, remained the third choice at 6-1.

Kentucky Derby fans wagered $46,511 on Friday to push the pool’s two-day total to $71,692. Betting on Pool 2 is schedule to resume at noon (all times Eastern) on Saturday, March 8. The pool will close at 6 p.m. (Eastern) on Sunday, March 9, and winning payouts will be based on the odds in place at the conclusion of wagering.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a minimum $2 wager and a win bet only. It offers fans an opportunity to wager on contenders for the $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at odds that could be greater than those they would receive on the day of the race. There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The third and final pool of the 2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager is scheduled for April 3-6.

Other horses that attracted strong support at the midway point of Pool 2 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager included Sham (GIII) runner-up El Gato Malo (11-1), Remsen (GII) winner Court Vision (16-1), Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Cool Coal Man (17-1) and San Vicente (GII) winner Georgie Boy (20-1).

Real time odds on Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager are available on the official Kentucky Derby Web site at www.kentuckyderby.com. The wager’s third and final pool is set for April 3-6.

Day 2 Final (Pool 2)