In anticipation of the 150th edition of the prestigious Kentucky Derby, bettors placed their bets four weeks ahead of time. The top pick, with odds of 5-2, was Fierceness, the winner of the Florida Derby (G1). Following closely behind was Sierra Leone, the victor of the Risen Star (G2) and Toyota Blue Grass (G1), with odds of 7-1. These selections were made in the sixth and final pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW). Forever Young (JPN) from Japan remained undefeated and was considered the third favourite with odds of 8-1.
The pool for the three-day event concluded on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, just before the highly anticipated Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series races: the Wood Memorial (G2), Blue Grass, and Santa Anita Derby (G1).
Resilience emerged victorious in the Wood Memorial and finished with odds of 76-1. Stronghold emerged victorious in the Santa Anita Derby and was a longshot at 30-1 in the KDFW.
The total amount wagered for the April 4-6 KDFW pool, which is the last future wager pool before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, reached $376,038. This includes $268,996 in the Win Pool and $107,042 in Exactas. In comparison, the total amount wagered in 2023 was $369,443, with $271,230 in the Win Pool and $98,213 in Exactas.
This year, the amount wagered on Derby and Oaks future wagers reached an impressive $2,052,391, marking a significant 13% increase compared to last year's total of $1,813,542.