Life Is Good closes as 2-1 favorite in KDFW Pool 4; Clairiere tops Oaks Future Wager

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4

Following a smashing eight-length victory in Saturday’s San Felipe S. (G2), Life Is Good took the lion’s share of the betting action in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), closing as the 2-1 favorite among 24 betting interests.

In the 23-year history of the KDFW, Life Is Good is the shortest-priced individual March future wager favorite.

The Into Mischief colt is unbeaten from three starts for six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, and Life Is Good has been the individual favorite in all four KDFW pools. Two-time Kentucky Derby winner Mike Smith rides the talented front-runner.

Life Is Good will make his final prep race in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 3.

Unbeaten two-year-old champion Essential Quality, who opened his 2021 campaign with a romping win in the Feb. 27 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, wound up being the 5-1 second choice in Pool 4. The Brad Cox-trained colt is targeting the Blue Grass S. (G2) at Keeneland on April 3.

Fountain of Youth S. (G2) and Holy Bull S. (G3) winner Greatest Honour came next at 6-1. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Greatest Honour will try to sweep the Gulfstream Park qualifiers in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 27.

The mutuel field of “All Other Three Year Olds” finished as the 7-1 fourth choice.

The remaining betting interests wound up at double-digit odds.

Notables included Smarty Jones S. winner Caddo River (16-1), San Vicente S. (G2) hero Concert Tour (17-1), and Risen Star S. (G2) victor Mandaloun (17-1).

Kentucky Oaks Future Wager

The lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager ran concurrently with Pool 4 of the KDFW, and Rachel Alexandra S. (G2) winner Clairiere led the betting action as expected as the 7-2 favorite.

Trained by two-time Kentucky Oaks winner Steve Asmussen, Clairiere overcame trouble to win her career debut in late October and concluded her juvenile season with a runner-up in the Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs in late November.

The Curlin filly returned this year with a neck triumph in the Rachel Alexandra, exacting a measure of revenge upon Golden Rod winner Travel Column, and Clairiere is scheduled to make her final Kentucky Oaks prep in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) on March 20.

Rachel Alexandra runner-up Travel Column is the 6-1 second choice among 23 individual interests. A daughter of Tapit, the Cox-trained filly could aim for the Ashland S. (G1) at Keeneland on April 3.

The mutuel field of “All Other Three Year Old Fillies” is the overall second favorite in the betting, closing at 5-1.

Demoiselle S. (G2) winner Malathaat took betting action in advance of her three-year-old opener, finishing at 7-1 in the Oaks Future.

Other Kentucky Oaks contenders include recent Honeybee S. (G3) winner Will’s Secret (14-1), juvenile Grade 1 scorer Simply Ravishing (15-1), two-year-old filly champion Vequist (19-1), and recent maiden graduate Pass the Champagne (20-1).