With the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) still 15 weeks away, the pari-mutuel of “All Other 3-Olds” closed with a 9-5 favorite in Group 2 of the Futures Betting. Kentucky Derby and Happy smile is second choice 8-1.
The New Year’s first pool pari-mutuel school has closed as a bettor’s choice every year since futures bets opened in 1999.
Smile Happy, owned by Mike Mackin’s Lucky Seven Stable and coached by Kenny McPeek, was a 3/4 length winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) in November at Churchill Downs. He also finished as second choice behind “All the other 3-year-olds” in KDFW’s Group 1, which runs November 25-28.
Other horses that have attracted interest from bettors are the McPeeks Coached Junior Cup (G1T) Runner-up Tiz the Bomb (10-1), Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Jack Christopher (14-1), first aid recipient Chasing time (17-1), and maiden first winner Emmanuel (17-1).
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2
| Number | Master of the horse) | The odds | 2 dollars won will pay |
| first | Time to Chase (Steve Asmussen) | 17-1 | $36.40 |
| 2 | The Classic Way (Brian Lynch) | 51-1 | $105.60 |
| 3 | Commander Performance (Todd Pletcher) | 41-1 | $85 |
| 4 | Courvoisier (Kelly Breen) | 39-1 | $81.60 |
| 5 | Dash Attack (Kenny McPeek) | 34-1 | $70.80 |
| 6 | Emmanuel (Pletcher) | 17-1 | $ 37.60 |
| 7 | Geocentric (Asmussen) | 24-1 | $51.20 |
| 8 | The Giant Game (Dale Romans) | 28-1 | $59 |
| 9 | The tall oak tree (Bill Mott) | 38-1 | $78.80 |
| ten | Jack Christopher (Chad Brown) | 14-1 | $30 |
| 11 | Major General (Pletcher) | 41-1 | $84.40 |
| twelfth | Make it big (Safe Joseph Jr.) | 85-1 | $172.80 |
| 13 | Mo Donegal (Pletcher) | 23-1 | $48.20 |
| 14 | Pappacap (Marked Casse) | 24-1 | $51.20 |
| 15 | Rattle N Roll (McPeek) | 20-1 | $42.60 |
| 16 | Simplify (Antonio Sano) | 43-1 | $89.60 |
| 17 | Slow Andy (Doug O’Neill) | 20-1 | $43 |
| 18 | Smile Happy (McPeek) | 8-1 | $18 |
| 19 | Tiz the Bomb (McPeek) | 10-1 | $22.80 |
| 20 | Trafalgar (Al Stall Jr.) | 77-1 | $156.60 |
| 21 | Varatti (Pletcher) | 47-1 | $97.40 |
| 22 | White Abarrio (Joseph) | 171-1 | $344.20 |
| 23 | Zandon (Brown) | 25-1 | $52 |
| 24 | “All the other 3-year-olds” | 9-5 | $5.80 |
Churchill Downs had stated in an earlier release that it would not include KDFW horses under the care of trainers suspended from the 2022 Kentucky Derby. These horses are likely. including the 2 year old male champion in 2021 Corniche and other Bob Baffert interns. Last year, as a private property owner, Churchill Downs Inc. suspended Baffert from his tracks until mid-2023 after Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after finishing first in the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky managers have yet to hold a hearing or issue a ruling.
Corniche is popular as Las Vegas casinos offer futures book bets, with some bettors believing a rule change will allow Baffert to participate, legal action overturning the suspension. only or the horse qualifies for the race by running for another trainer.
Currently Baffert’s students are in the pari-mutuel field of “All Other 3-Year-Olds” in KDFW.
The total settlement for the KDFW pool January 21-23 — the second of five pools scheduled before the 148th run of the May 7 Kentucky Derby — was $361,209 ($273,712 in Win group and $87.497 in Exactas), up 12.2% from last year’s $322,035 ($240,768 in Win and $81,267 in Exactas).
Other Futures Wager dates are February 11-13 (Pot 3), March 11-13 (Pot 4) and March 31 to April 2 (Pot 5). The lone Kentucky Oaks Futures Bet will coincide with the Kentucky Derby Group 4 Futures Betting on March 11-13.
