McCraken bet down to 5-1 favoritism in Pool 4 of 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Undefeated Grade 2 winner McCraken (#15) closed as the 5-1 favorite when wagering concluded on the fourth and final pool of the 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) Sunday.

The Ian Wilkes-trained son of Ghostzapper has made just one start this year, taking the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs on February 11, and is currently readying for the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on April 8.

Always Dreaming (#1) shot from 50-1 on the morning line to become the 6-1 second favorite in Pool 4 of the KDFW after running away with Saturday’s Florida Derby (G1) by five lengths for trainer Todd Pletcher. The dark bay colt was making his stakes bow in that contest and is unbeaten in 2017; he broke his maiden by 11 1/2 lengths at Tampa Bay Downs on January 17 and captured an allowance/optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on March 4 by four lengths.

Gunnevera (#10), third as the even-money favorite in Saturday’s Florida Derby, was the only other wagering interest to close at single-digit odds. The Antonio Sano-trained son of Dialed In actually saw his morning-line odds rise from 6-1 to close at 9-1.

The Mutuel Field (#24), or all other three-year-olds other than the 23 individual wagering interests in Pool 4, also increased slightly, from 10-1 on the morning line to 11-1 at close of Pool 4. That Mutual Field was the favorite in the first three KDFW pools.

A total of $440,511 was wagered in the three-day pool when betting closed at 6 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. The wagering total reflected an increase of 1.2 percent from 2016’s Pool 4 betting of $435,358. This year’s total included $294,665 in $2 win wagering and $145,845 in exacta betting. 

Please click here for a complete rundown of final odds and $2 win will-pays for Pool 4 of the 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager. For a look at $2 exacta will-pays for KDFW Pool 4, please click here.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager provides racing fans with the opportunity to wager on contenders for the Kentucky Derby at odds that could be more attractive than those available on the day of America’s greatest race. Payouts in the win and exacta wagering in Pool 4 were determined by the odds in place at Sunday’s conclusion of wagering.

The Future Wager offers $2 minimum win wagering on 24 betting interests that include 23 individual horses and the Mutuel Field, which includes all three-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the individual wagering interests in a respective pool. Each pool also offers $2 exacta wagering on the 24 wagering interests, with the latter also available in $1 minimum increments in boxes and other multiple number configurations.

More information on the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby is available at KentuckyDerby.com.