Verrazano, mutuel field neck-in-neck after Day 1 wagering in KDFW

Verrazano, mutuel field neck-in-neck after Day 1 wagering

in KDFW

Unbeaten Verrazano (#20) has never been threatened in a trio of easy

victories in his young career, but he emerged from the opening day of betting in

Pool 3 of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) as

a very narrow fans' choice over the always popular "All Others" (#24) betting

interest.

Verrazano, the Todd Pletcher-trained winner of the Grade 3 Tampa

Bay Derby, and "All Others" stood at 5-1 at the end of Friday's

opening session of betting in the three-day pool. But Verrazano ($5,245) had slightly

more in total $2 win wagers than "All Others" ($5,001), which includes all

three-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the 23 individual horses in the pool.

Friday's total betting of $59,478 included $41,052 in win

wagers and $18,426 in exacta betting. Wagering on the KDFW pool resumed at noon (EDT) on Saturday. Betting in the

three-day pool, the last of three KDFW pools for 2013, will conclude on Sunday

at 6 p.m.

Verrazano and the mutuel field were the only wagering

interests with single-digit odds at the end of Friday's betting. Grade 3 Holy

Bull hero Itsmyluckyday (#7) was the 10-1 third choice at the conclusion of

Friday's wagering, with Hear the Ghost (#6), winner of the Grade 2 San Felipe and

one of six new betting interests in Pool 3, and Grade 3 Gotham victor Vyjack

(#21) were next at 12-1.

Grade 2 Fountain of Youth scorer Orb (#12) closed at 17-1,

while Flashback (#4), Will Take Charge (#23) and Normandy Invasion (#11) were

19-1 risks. Grade 3 Withers hero Revolutionary (#16) and juvenile champion

Shanghai Bobby (#18) were 13-1 and 14-1, respectively.

One "Road to the Kentucky Derby" Championship Series point

system race is scheduled Saturday and it features a wagering interest in KDFW

Pool 3. Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club winner Uncaptured (#19) makes his 2013 debut

as a mild favorite in the race at Turfway Park. The Mark Casse-trained

Uncaptured was a 39-1 KDFW Pool 3 risk at the conclusion of opening day betting

late Friday evening.

Will Take Charge leads the "Road to the Kentucky Derby"

standings with 60 points.

The KDFW offers racing fans an

opportunity to bet on potential contenders for the famed "Run for the Roses"

well in advance of the race at odds that could be significantly more attractive

than those available in betting on Kentucky Derby Day.

Each Kentucky Derby Future pool offers $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 the KDFW, but betting on an

individual horse will be suspended immediately if Churchill Downs determines

that an injury, illness or other circumstance revealed during the pool would

prevent that horse from competing in the Kentucky Derby.

Betting on the 2013 Kentucky Derby Future Wager is offered

by racetracks and off-track betting centers throughout North America. The bet is

also available online at TwinSpires.com, the official online wagering site of

Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, and other advance deposit wagering

platforms.

Information on the Kentucky Derby is available online at

the official event Web site at

KentuckyDerby.com and KDFW real-time odds will be presented on that website throughout Pool 3.

The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for May 4 at Churchill Downs.

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER

POOL 3