‘All Others’ Favored In Wide Open Pool 2 Of Future Wager

The second of three pools of Churchill Downs’ 2007 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”) ended on Sunday with ‘all others’ as a narrow favorite and a three-way scramble between reigning 2-year-old champion Street Sense, Remsen (Grade II) and Holy Bull (GIII) winner Nobiz Like Shobiz, and Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Circular Quay to be the individual horse favored to win the $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) at the Louisville track on Saturday, May 5.

Preparing for the Florida Derby, Adore the Gold served notice that he'll be a force to reckon with in the $1 million Florida Derby after he worked five furlongs in 57.74 seconds here on Saturday April 1.

Adore the Gold, a game fourth after forcing Stormello's pace from the outset of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, had a busy morning. Trainer Mike Gorham first sent the son of Formal Gold out to jog and hack around for nearly a half hour in the quarter-mile chute adjacent to his barn. Then after waiting for the renovation break, Adore the Gold came back on the track under exercise rider Carlos Reyes and went in fractions of 12.90, 24.52, and 35.13 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:10.90. He was under mild urging through the latter stages of his work while completing a final quarter-mile split in an eye-catching 22.61.

The mutuel field, the betting interest that represented all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses in Pool 2, emerged as a slight 6-1 favorite when betting on the four-day pool concluded at racetracks and off-track wagering outlets across North America at 6 p.m. (EDT) Sunday evening.

 The battle for second choice – and favored individual horse – went to Elizabeth Valando’s Nobiz Like Shobiz, the winner of the Remsen (GII) and Holy Bull (GIII).  The son of Albert the Great earned strong support throughout KDFW Pool 2 despite his loss as a heavy favorite in last week’s Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream Park.  Nobiz Like Shobiz closed at odds of 8-1, as did James Tafel’s 2-year-old champion and Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Street Sense and Michael and Doreen Tabor’s Circular Quay, the impressive winner of Saturday’s $600,000 Louisiana Derby (GII).  But he Barclay Tagg-trained Nobiz Like Shobiz closed at final odds of $8.00-to-1 to edge Street Sense ($8.10-to-1) and Circular Quay ($8.80-to-1).

      Total wagering in the pool that opened on Thurs., March 8 was $379,613. The total was fifth-largest wagering total in the nine-year history of the Derby Future Wager.  A record of $511,655 was wagered during the pool in 2005.  A total of $520,688 was wagered during this year’s opening pool in February.  The third and final KDFW pool of 2007 is scheduled for April 12-15.         

       The Kentucky Derby Future Wager allows racing fans to wager on contenders for the 133rd Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands at odds that could be significantly better than those they would receive on the day of the race.  The wager is a $2 minimum bet and a win wager only.  There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and winning payouts on Kentucky Derby Day, May 5, will be based on the odds that are in place at the conclusion of each of the three KDFW pools. The Kentucky Derby will be run on Saturday, May 5, at Churchill Downs.      

        Other horses that attracted strong support during Pool 2 included WinStar Farm LLC and Maverick Racing Any Given Saturday (11-1), who is scheduled to run next week in the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII); J. Paul Reddam’s Great Hunter (11-1), winner of the Robert B. Lewis (GII) at Santa Anita; Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor’s Sham Stakes (GIII) winner Ravel (11-1); and James Scatuorchio and Michael Tabor’s Scat Daddy, winner of the Fountain of Youth (GII).