Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: ‘All others' 2-1, Forte 7-1

Pool 3 of the 2023 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday evening with a pretty familiar look at the very top of the market, but notable movers underneath.

The mutuel field of “All other colts and geldings” retained its grip on overall favoritism, although this time inching up to 2-1 from a 6-5 morning line. It had been the 4-5 choice in Pools 1 and 2.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) hero Forte was once again the best-backed individual, as he shortened from a 10-1 morning line to 7-1. Expected to be named champion two-year-old male at Thursday night’s Eclipse Awards, the Todd Pletcher trainee has gained support in each pool. He closed at 16-1 in Pool 1 and took over individual favoritism at 10-1 in Pool 2. Forte just returned to the worktab at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 21.

Breaking into the elite tier in Pool 3 was Instant Coffee, who steamed into 15-1 from a 40-1 morning line. The Brad Cox pupil boosted his cause by capturing Saturday’s Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, validating his Nov. 26 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) victory. Instant Coffee had been a 93-1 longshot in Pool 1 and a 35-1 chance at the conclusion of Pool 2.

Stablemate Loggins (16-1), sidelined since his near-miss to Forte in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), continues to be popular despite his tight timetable to make the Kentucky Derby (G1). A similar point applies to Extra Anejo (18-1), a brilliant Keeneland maiden winner who had a setback but is set to resume training for Steve Asmussen. Extra Anejo, the 12-1 individual favorite in Pool 1 during Breeders’ Cup week, was the 13-1 second choice in Pool 2. Both Loggins and Extra Anejo opened Pool 3 at 20-1.

Cox trains 11 individual interests in Pool 3. His other popular contenders include Victory Formation (23-1), unbeaten hero of the Jan. 1 Smarty Jones S., and Giant Mischief (27-1), a terrific second despite blowing the start in the Dec. 17 Remington Springboard Mile. They were bet down from morning lines of 30-1 and 40-1, respectively. Two of their stablemates warrant mention for contracting prices. Verifying, the Champagne (G1) runner-up who routed an Oaklawn Park allowance, was trimmed from 40-1 to 34-1. Tapit’s Conquest, a hard-charging second in an allowance on the Lecomte undercard, plunged from 99-1 to 62-1.

Impressive Godolphin maiden winner Banishing, who was scratched from that same Fair Grounds allowance, nevertheless saw his odds fall from 40-1 to 27-1. A newcomer to Pool 3, the Brendan Walsh trainee is expected to be back in full swing soon. Another newly available individual interest in Pool 3, Pletcher’s Gulfstream debut star Kingsbarns, was hammered from 80-1 into 32-1. Sun Thunder, who aired in an Oaklawn maiden for Ken McPeek, was similarly bet from 99-1 to 58-1.

Champagne winner Blazing Sevens, on holiday after his fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, posted his first breeze back for Chad Brown Jan. 21. His fans backed him from a 40-1 morning line to 28-1 in Pool 3. Shug McGaughey’s well-regarded Signator, beginning to gear up after being shelved last fall, was nibbled from 40-1 to 34-1. 

Conducted from Jan. 20-22, Pool 3 handled $312,906 ($244,700 in the Win pool and $68,207 in Exactas). Churchill Downs reports total wagering of $623,660 through the first three pools.

Pool 4 of the KDFW is scheduled for Feb. 10-12. Exactly one month later, Mar. 10-12, Pool 5 runs alongside the single Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. The final KDFW opportunity, Pool 6, runs Mar. 30-Apr. 1.