Epicenter closes as 9-2 favorite in 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 5

The fifth and final pool of the 2022 Kentucky Derby Future Wager ended at 4:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday, before three major preps – the Wood Memorial (G2), Blue Grass (G1), and Santa Anita Derby (G1) – were held. That timing might have helped Epicenter, who had completed his Kentucky Derby resume with a track-record victory in the March 26 Louisiana Derby (G2), close as the 9-2 favorite. The Steve Asmussen trainee shortened slightly from his 5-1 morning line.

The three nearest to him in the market, however, were all beaten later Saturday afternoon. Messier, trimmed to 6-1 from his 8-1 starting price, was overhauled by Taiba in the Santa Anita Derby. Taiba, who only just debuted a month ago at six furlongs, was not an individual betting interest, but instead part of the mutuel field of “All Other Three-Year-Olds” that climbed up to 18-1.

Smile Happy, the individual favorite in Pools 1 through 4, opened at 6-1 but drifted to 9-1. Shortly afterward, he was toppled in the Blue Grass by the impressive closing kick of Zandon, who was twice the price (18-1) in Pool 5. Zandon had begun the weekend as a 20-1 chance.

Forbidden Kingdom, who inched from 8-1 to 9-1, saw his Derby hopes take a substantial hit when fading to last in the Santa Anita Derby. Similarly, Morello, who attracted enough support to drop from a 20-1 morning line to 15-1, wound up a distant sixth in the Wood Memorial after a bad start.

Conversely, Wood winner Mo Donegal had been let go as a 24-1 shot in Pool 5, up from a 20-1 morning line. Wood runner-up Early Voting likewise floated from 20-1 to 29-1 by the close of trade.

Those who had boosted their credentials in preceding preps were the top two from the Florida Derby (G1), White Abarrio (closing at 12-1 from an 8-1 morning line) and Charge It (up to 16-1 from 12-1); Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Cyberknife (drifting to 17-1 from 12-1) and runner-up Barber Road (bet down to 28-1 from 50-1); Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) scorer Tiz the Bomb (climbing to 22-1 from 12-1); and Japan’s UAE Derby (G2) winner Crown Pride (steaming to 24-1 from 50-1).

Pool 5, which opened Thursday, handled $444,338 ($320,064 in the Win pool and $124,274 in Exactas), a spike of 20.2% compared to the 2021 final pool of $369,695 ($242,140 in the Win pool and $127,555 in Exactas). Churchill Downs reported record handle for the entire series of 2022 KDFW pools and Kentucky Oaks Future Wager – $2,060,691, up 15.7% from the total wagering of $1,780,403 a year ago.

Complete details, including will-pays and exacta probables, are available on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager page at kentuckyderby.com.