Field, Declan's Moon lead first Derby Future

Churchill Downs' oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has installed the mutuel

field, which includes all three-year-olds not listed among the 23

individual betting interests, as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the

first of three 2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools, which opens

Thursday at noon (EST) and runs through 6 p.m. Sunday.

Two-year-old champion DECLAN'S MOON (Malibu Moon) comes next on the

morning line at 6-1, and undefeated Remsen S. (G2) victor ROCKPORT

HARBOR (Unbridled's Song) is listed at 8-1. They are the only individual

betting interests in single digits on the early line.

"The Kentucky Derby (G1) picture is always uncertain at this time of

year and there's no reason to believe that any of the individual horses

in this year's first Derby Future pool will attract enough support to

supplant the mutuel field as the favorite," Battaglia said. "The pool

offers a good mix of proven performers and rising stars, but none of the

individual horses has done enough to this point to become a solid Derby

favorite and there's a pretty good chance that the eventual Derby winner

has yet to step forward."

The mutuel field has been the Pool 1 favorite in each of the six

previous Derby Future wagers and contained the eventual winner three

times, including 2004 Kentucky Derby hero Smarty Jones.

Champion juvenile filly SWEET CATOMINE (Storm Cat) is also an

individual interest at 20-1 on the morning line. The Julio Canani

trainee is listed as the 4-1 early favorite for the first pool of the

Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which will run concurrently with the Derby

Future.

2005 Kentucky Derby Future Wager,

Pool One

(f) denotes filly