50-1 shots to bet in Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2

If you want to bet trainer Bob Baffert to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1), you’ll have plenty of options when Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 opens for betting Thursday.

Five of the 23 horses listed are trained by Baffert, who secured his record-tying sixth Derby victory with Authentic in 2020.

If you’re betting Baffert, you won’t be alone. Four of his five runners are listed at 20-1 or less on the morning line, which seems like a pretty short price to accept 3 1/2 months out from the Derby.

Rather than play popular horses at short prices, let’s think outside the box and bet a couple promising (but so far unheralded) 50-1 shots.

#7 Greatest Honour (50-1)

A son of Tapit, out of a Street Cry mare, Greatest Honour is bred to thrive over classic distances.

The Shug McGaughey trainee took time to develop as a juvenile and cracked the trifecta in his first three starts without a win. But Greatest Honour put everything together Dec. 26 at Gulfstream Park, where he nabbed a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 1 1/2 lengths.

It was an impressive performance, because Greatest Honour overcome a rough early trip to rally from behind a slow pace and win comfortably, with a massive 110 Brisnet Late Pace rating. It wasn’t a fluke — Greatest Honour previously posted a 106 Late Pace rating when he finished second by a head in a 1 1/8-mile maiden event at Aqueduct.

Greatest Honour has kept good company and is progressing in the right direction. His lack of tactical speed is concerning (forwardly placed runners have excelled in recent editions of the Derby), but getting 50-1 on this improving late runner is enough to offset the risk.

#17 Olympiad (50-1)

Olympiad hasn’t run since September, but he looked like a star in the making the last time he raced.

Favored to win a 7-furlong maiden sprint at Saratoga, the son of Speightstown employed pace-tracking tactics to score by 2 3/4 lengths, over fellow Kentucky Derby Future Wager candidates #2 Caddo River (30-1) and #7 Greatest Honour (50-1, see above).

Produced by the graded stakes-placed Medaglia d’Oro mare Tokyo Time, Olympiad has the pedigree to handle 1 1/4 miles. Even though Speightstown was a champion sprinter, he has sired a large handful of Grade 1 winners over the Kentucky Derby distance, including Travers (G1) winner Golden Ticket and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) victor Haynesfield.

Under the care of Bill Mott, Olympiad has returned to training in Florida and is slowly gearing up for his 2021 debut. He’ll be on a tight schedule to qualify for the Derby, but considering the quality of competition he’s already beaten, betting Olympiad at 50-1 might be worth the gamble.

Good luck!