An authoritative victory in the San Vicente (G2) cemented Barnes as the top individual choice of bettors playing Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3, which closed on Sunday after three days of betting.
Barnes was also the top individual choice in Pool 2, closing at 13-1 thanks to a tenacious debut victory at Churchill Downs. In Pool 2, he trailed only “All Other Three-Year-Old Males,” the heavy overall favorite at 9-5.
Barnes’ subsequent 5 1/2-length romp against a strong field in the San Vicente was nearly enough to land him overall favoritism in Pool 3. “All Other Three Year Olds” did clinch the top spot with 4-1 odds, but Barnes wasn’t far behind at 6-1.
Patch Adams, a runaway maiden winner at Churchill Downs last fall, closed as the overall third choice at 12-1. Bettors were keen to lock in double-digit odds in advance of Patch Adams’ stakes debut in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park this coming Saturday.
Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue (15-1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) conqueror Citizen Bull (17-1) rounded out the top five favorites, with their prices barely shifting from the 15-1 and 16-1 odds they respectively offered in Pool 2.
Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Journalism (20-1), Street Sense (G3) hero Sovereignty (21-1), Lecomte (G3) victor Disco Time (21-1), and flashy Santa Anita maiden winner Rodriguez (22-1) also proved popular. Disco Time’s rallying triumph in the Lecomte came less than 24 hours before Pool 3 closed.
Rounding out the betting options were Chancer McPatrick (26-1), Grande (28-1), Built (33-1), Gaming (38-1), Rated by Merit (42-1), San Saba (44-1), Ferocious (46-1), Gunmetal (46-1), Keep It Easy (46-1), Coal Battle (46-1), Madaket Road (47-1), First Resort (49-1), Jonathan’s Way (49-1), Hill Road (55-1), Sandman (59-1), Tappan Street (71-1), Bullard (76-1), Poster (77-1), Owen Almighty (78-1), Romanesque (79-1), Varney (80-1), Getaway Car (83-1), Donut God (88-1), Grayscale (97-1), Innovator (99-1), American Promise (103-1), Tiztastic (103-1), Cyclone State (105-1), Guns Loaded (113-1), and Colloquial (121-1).
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 is slated for Feb. 14-16. It will be followed by Pool 5 (March 14-16) and Pool 6 (April 3-5), all leading up to the 151st Kentucky Derby on May 3.
