Paladin, the winner of the Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 14 in his 3-year-old debut, has been made the 5-1 favorite among 39 individual horses for this weekend’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, according to a list of odds distributed by Churchill Downs, the pool’s administrator.
Trained by Chad Brown, Paladin is targeting the Blue Grass Stakes on April 4 at Keeneland for his next start. The horse is listed as the 6-1 favorite on Daily Racing Form’s Kentucky Derby Watch.
The Future Wager will open on Friday at noon Eastern and close on Sunday evening at 6 p.m.
This weekend’s races include one major Derby prep, the Virginia Derby, held at Colonial Downs, which is owned by Churchill. The favorite in that race, which drew 10 entries, is Buetane, who was placed at 50-1 on the Future Wager morning line. Another Virginia Derby runner, Confessional, is 90-1 on the morning line.
The second choice in the Future Wager pool is Commandment, the winner of the Feb. 28 Fountain of Youth, at 6-1. The horse is being pointed toward the March 28 Florida Derby for his next start. The third choice, at 8-1, is Nearly, the winner of the Jan. 31 Holy Bull, also being pointed to the Florida Derby. The "all other 3-year-olds" entry – potential starters other than the 39 assigned individual odds – was listed at 12-1.
Churchill is also offering a Kentucky Oaks Future Wager over the weekend. The favorite, Zany, was made 3-1 on the morning line among 39 individual horses and an entry of “all other 3-year-old fillies” (20-1). Betting on the Oaks Future Wager will close at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, a half-hour later than the Derby.
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