Derby Future Wager begins Thanksgiving week

Fans can now back their opinion on the prospects for next year's Kentucky

Derby sooner rather than later. For the first time, Churchill Downs will add a

fourth pool to its popular Kentucky Derby Future Wager and it will coincide with

closing week of the racetrack's 25-day Fall Meet: November 27-30.

The special four-day pool will open November 27 at noon (EST) and close

November 30 prior to post time of either the $400,000 Remsen at Aqueduct or

$175,000 Kentucky Jockey Club -- which ever race comes first. Both events for

two-year-olds are part of the "Kentucky Derby Prep Season" that offer points --

10 to first, 4 to second, 2 to third and 1 to fourth -- that will ultimately

determine the 20 participants for "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" next

spring.

The dates for the four Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools are:

The date for the only Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool is:

The fields for the four Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools and the single

Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pool will be selected by a panel of racing officials

and journalists. Individual horses included in Pool 1 will be announced on

November 25.

The Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers are innovative pari-mutuel

wagers that allow racing fans the opportunity to wager on potential contenders

well in advance of those races at odds that could be significantly more

attractive than those available on the days the races are run.

For example, Orb paid $12.80 to win on race day of the 2013 Kentucky Derby,

but returned $26.20 in Pool 2 and $29.60 in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future

Wager.

More than $1.4 million was wagered on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager in 2012

and 2013, respectively -- the highest totals since 2006 when the wager was

offered in a three-pool, four-day format. Another $126,039 was bet on the 2013

Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which was a record for the single-pool format.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager – the first pari-mutuel wager of its kind

when launched in 1999 – will be offered for the 16th consecutive year. The

Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, introduced in 2003, is entering its 12th year and

sixth straight year as a single-pool wager.

Each pool will feature 24 wagering interests that include 23 individual

horses and a mutuel field, known by many fans as the "All Others" bet. The

mutuel field, listed as No. 24 on the betting menu, will feature all foals of

2011 other than the 23 individual Thoroughbreds in the pool regardless of

whether those horses have been nominated to the Kentucky Derby, the Triple Crown

or the Kentucky Oaks.

Both wagers offer $2-minimum win betting and exacta wagering, which is

available in the form of $2 minimum straight exacta bets or $1-minimum exacta

boxes and part-wheels. No scratches or betting refunds are permitted in either

wager, but wagering on a Derby or Oaks Future Wager horse will be suspended

immediately if Churchill Downs determines that injury, illness or other

circumstance revealed during a pool would prevent a horse from competing in

their respective race.

All winning payouts are determined by the odds in place at the end of each

respective betting pool.

Wagering on the Kentucky Derby and Oaks Future Wager will be offered at

Churchill Downs and racetracks throughout North America; via

TwinSpires.com, the

official online wagering site of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs Inc.;

other advance deposit wagering sites; and simulcast centers and off-track

wagering sites.

KDFW Pool 2, Pool 3 and Pool 4 -- along with KOFW Pool 1 which coincides with

KDFW Pool 3 -- will be three-day pools that open at noon (ET) on Thursday. But

in a change this year, each pool will close on Saturday afternoon prior to post

time of a designated race on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" or "Road to the

Kentucky Oaks." Previously, the KDFW pools opened on a Friday and closed on

Sunday at 6 p.m.

"Our intent is to present pools that are more true to the future wager

concept," said John Asher, Churchill Downs' Vice President of Racing

Communications. "Two years ago, we made adjustments to our schedule. Rather than

offer pools concurrent with major prep races, we moved them to a week or two in

advance of those races and we saw increases in betting. Horseplayers are looking

for optimum value, and we feel that closing the pools just before a major race

is run is worth exploring. Those bettors with the 'right horse' in advance of

the race could potentially receive the most advantageous odds."

Real-time odds and other information on the KDFW are available at the

official event Web site at

www.KentuckyDerby.com.

The $2 million Kentucky Derby will be run for the 140th consecutive year at

Churchill Downs on May 3. The $1 million Kentucky Oaks will be run in its

traditional calendar location on May 2, the eve of the "Run for the Roses."

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com