With the Kentucky Derby still 14 weeks away, the pari-mutuel field of “All Other 3-Year-Old Colts and Geldings” closed as the 9-5 favorite in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), and Sham Stakes (G3) winner Life Is Good at 7-1 edged Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) champion Essential Quality at 8-1 for the honor of being the second betting choice.
Life Is Good, who closed as the 5-1 favorite in Pool 1 last November, was a narrow but fast winner of the one-mile Sham at Santa Anita on Jan. 2, and is expected to make his next start in the March 6 San Felipe (G2) for six-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert.
The Brad Cox-trained Essential Quality, perfect in three starts after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November, is preparing for his 3-year-old debut and has recorded six breezes at Fair Grounds, including a five-furlong spin in 1:01.60 Sunday morning. He was the 8-1 third betting choice in Pool 1.
In addition to Life Is Good and Essential Quality, Smarty Jones winner Caddo River (13-1), Baffert’s fast maiden winner Concert Tour (16-1) and Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) winner Keepmeinmind (19-1) also attracted interest from bettors.
Horses in order of the public’s betting choice (with trainer, Pool 2 odds and $2 Win will pays): #24 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (9-5, $5.80); #12 Life Is Good (Bob Baffert, 7-1, $16.40); #5 Essential Quality (Brad Cox, 8-1, $18.80); #2 Caddo River (Brad Cox, 13-1, $29.60); #4 Concert Tour (Bob Baffert, 16-1, $34.40); #11 Keepmeinmind (Robertino Diodoro, 19-1, $40.80); #19 Prime Factor (Todd Pletcher, 21-1, $44.20); #10 Jackie’s Warrior (Steve Asmussen, 23-1, $49.60); #8 Highly Motivated (Chad Brown, 24-1, $51.40); #14 Medina Spirit (Bob Baffert, 24-1, $51.40); #15 Midnight Bourbon (Steve Asmussen, 26-1, $54); #1 Bezos (Bob Baffert, 26-1, $55.20); #21 Senor Buscador (Todd Fincher, 34-1, $70.80); #7 Greatest Honour (Shug McGaughey III, 40-1, $83.20); #9 Hot Rod Charlie (Doug O’Neill, 40-1, $83.80); #13 Mandaloun (Brad Cox, 42-1, $86.60); #6 Fire At Will (Mike Maker, 45-1, $92); #22 Spielberg (Bob Baffert, 47-1, $97); #16 Mutasaabeq (Todd Pletcher, 47-1, $97.40); #18 Prate (Brad Cox, 48-1, $99.20); #17 Olympiad (Bill Mott, 64-1, $131.80); #3 Capo Kane(Harold Wyner, 66-1, $135.40); #20 Proxy (Mike Stidham, 76-1, $154.80); and #23 Wipe the Slate (Doug O’Neill, 87-1, $176.80).
Total handle for the Jan. 22-24 KDFW pool – the second of five scheduled wagering pools in advance of the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, May 1 – was $322,035 ($240,768 in the Win pool and $81,267 in Exactas).
Dates for the remaining 2021 Kentucky Derby future pools are Feb. 12-14 (Pool 3), March 5-7 (Pool 4) and March 26-28 (Pool 5). The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will coincide with Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.
Visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/FutureWager for more information.
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