Big Brown, Pyro favored after day one of KDFW Pool 3

Unbeaten Big Brown, a sparkling winner of the $1 million Florida Derby (Grade I) last week, and Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Pyro were narrowly separated as the fans’ choices to win the 134^th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) after the first of four days of betting in the third and final pool of Churchill Downs’ 2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

Fans across North America hoping to make an early wager on the winner of the May 3 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs gave a narrow edge to IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown, whose Florida Derby romp was his third victory in as many starts.  Big Brown ended Thursday’s betting at odds of 5-1.  Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, the 4-1 favorite in Pool 2 of the Derby Future, was the second choice in Thursday’s betting and ended the day at odds of 3-1.

Kentucky Derby fans wager $26,732 on the opening day of Pool 3 and wagering is set to resume at noon (all times EDT) on Friday, April 4.  Betting in the pool will conclude at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 6 and winning payouts will be based on odds that are in place at the conclusion of wagering in the pool,

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-guaranteed Kentucky Derby 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.

Robert LaPenta’s War Pass, the champion 2-year-old of 2007 who suffered his first career defeat in a dismal 7^th place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII), was the third choice at 10-1.  The Nick Zito-trained colt is scheduled to run in Saturday’s $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.  The mutuel field, the wagering interest that includes all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses in Pool 3, also attracted solid support and ended the day at odds of 14-1.   Unbeaten Denis of Cork, the likely favorite in Saturday’s $500,000 Illinois Derby (GII) at Hawthorne, was next at odds of 17-1, while Gotham (GIII) winner Visionaire ended the day at 17-1.  The favorites for Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby (GI) – Colonel John and El Gato Malo – ended the day at odds of 19-1 and 23-1, respectively.

KDFW Pool 3-Day 1