Kentucky Derby Future Wager
Every year Churchill Downs establishes the dates for the three wagering pools that will comprise the track's renewals of its Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) and Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (KOFW). The dates for 2016 will come out early in that year.
What is a Kentucky Derby Future Wager?
By definition a "future" wager is generally something that happens in the future, you make the bet long before the sporting event sometimes weeks or months in advance.
In the case of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, it provides fans with the opportunity to wager on contenders at odds that could be more attractive than those available on the day of the Kentucky Derby.
The three respective pools for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers will again run concurrently. Pending final approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, the dates for the two wagers will be:
As in past years, wagering on each of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will open at noon (all times Eastern) on the first day of the pool's Friday-Sunday run. Betting will conclude in the three Derby pools will conclude at 6 p.m. on Sunday. The Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers are minimum $2 wagers and win bets only. The bets offers fans opportunities to wager on contenders for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks at odds that could be greater than those they would receive on the their respective race days. There are no refunds in either the Kentucky Derby or Kentucky Oaks Future Wager.
The 140th running of the Kentucky Derby – a 1 ¼-mile test for 3-year-olds and America's greatest race – is scheduled for Saturday, May 7th, 2016 at Churchill Downs. The $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI), a 1 1/8-mile race restricted to 3-year-old fillies, will be run over the track on Friday, May 4.
A total of $1,056,520 was wagered on the three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools in 2008 as total betting on the wager topped the $1 million mark for the ninth consecutive time in its 10-year history. Wagering on the three Kentucky Oaks pools in 2008 totaled $174,838, the second highest three-pool total in the history of the bet.
"A wide open and very competitive Kentucky Derby picture is developing and Churchill Downs is excited to again offer three pools with plenty of betting value in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which has become part of the Derby tradition over the past decade," said Churchill Downs General Manager Jim Gates. "After careful consideration we decided to return the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager to a single-pool format and believe the March pool offers the best opportunity to present a strong roster of serious Kentucky Oaks wagering interests. We think the single-pool format will provide the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager with its best opportunity to grow and present racing fans a chance to have a lot of fun while searching for the winner of what has become the nation's most prestigious event for 3-year-old fillies."
| Wagering | Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Total |
| 2011 | $592,492# | $376,699# | $392,910# | $1,362,101# |
| 2010 | $466,048# | $355,853# | $310,154# | $1,132,055# |
| 2009 | $478,721 | $380,420# | $377,158# | $1,236,299 |
| 2008 | $439,397 | $325,306 | $291,835 | $1,056,520 |
| 2007 | $520,688 | $379,613 | $465,123 | $1,365,424 |
| 2006 | $552,627 | $464,236 | $454,743 | $1,471,606 |
| 2005 | $620,362** | $533,973 | $533,973 | $1,665,990**** |
| 2004 | $536,958 | $358,966 | $386,244 | $1,282,168 |
| 2003 | $516,906 | $391,002 | $222,261 | $1,130,169 |
| 2002 | $577,889 | $401,070 | $524,847 | $1,503,806 |
| 2001 | $510,815 | $372,961 | $425,871 | $1,309,647 |
| 2000 | $465,454 | $306,259 | $387,206 | $1,158,919 |
| 1999 | $267,748 | $178,811 | $229,674 | $676,233 |
**Record individual pool betting ****record three-pool wagering total # includes exacta pool
| Year | Winner | Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Derby Day |
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom | $6.20 (f) | $9.40 (f) | $64.40 | $43.80 |
| 2010 | Super Saver | $43.20 | $51.20 | $73.00 | $18.00 |
| 2009 | Mine That Bird | $5.80 (f) * | $11.80 (f) * | $36.80 (f) | $103.20 |
| 2008 | Big Brown | $8.60 (f)* | $15.00 (f) | $8.60* | $6.80* |
| 2007 | Street Sense | $22.80 | $18.20 | $15.40 | $11.80* |
| 2006 | Barbaro | $40.20 | $32.20 | $20.80 | $14.20 |
| 2005 | Giacomo | $52.00 | $54.20 | $103.60 | $102.60 |
| 2004 | Smarty Jones | $5.60 (f) | $10.80 (f) | $23.60 | $10.20* |
| 2003 | Funny Cide | $188.00*** | $120.80 | $23.60 | $27.60 |
| 2002 | War Emblem | $7.60 (f)* | $16.00 | $24.00 | $43.00 |
| 2001 | Monarchos | $36.60 | $13.00 | $15.80 | $23.00 |
| 2000 | Fusaichi Pegasus | $27.80 | $26.40 (f) | $ 8.00* | $ 6.60* |
| 1999 | Charismatic | $10.20 (f)* | $30.20 (f) | $26.60 (f) | $64.60 |
(f) – Mutuel field *Favorite **KDFW single pool wagering record
***Record KDFW win payout ****KDFW total wagering (all pool) record
| Wagering | Pool 1 | Pool 2 | Pool 3 | Total |
| 2011 | $92,902 (single pool) | $92,902 | ||
| 2010 | $61,901 (single pool) | $61,901 | ||
| 2009 | $72,628 (single pool) | $72,628 | ||
| 2008 | $65,219 | $62,503 | $47,116 | $174,838 |
| 2007 | $66,206 | $55,840 | $71,040 | $193,086**** |
| 2006 | $66,548 | $54,054 | $51,212 | $171,814 |
| 2005 | $69,928 | $53,106 | $49,445 | $172,479 |
| 2004 | $66,425 | $46,151 | $45,635 | $158,211 |
| 2003 | $117,368** | $117,368** | ||
| Year | Wagering Payout | Pool 1 | Pool2 | Pool 3 | Payout |
| 2011 | Plum Pretty | $21.80 (f) | No Poll | No Poll | - |
| 2010 | Blind Luck | $10.00 | No Poll | No Poll | $4.60 |
| 2009 | Rachel Alexandra | $8.40 | No Poll | No Poll | $2.60* |
| 2008 | Proud Spell | $15.60 | $14.20 | $15.60 | $8.80* |
| 2007 | Rags to Riches | $9.60 | $10.00* | $5.00* | $5.00* |
| 2006 | Lemons Forever | $9.00 (f)* | $11.00 (f)* | $26.00 (f) | $96.20 |
| 2005 | Summerly | $31.80 | $15.00 | $28.40 | $11.20 |
| 2004 | Ashado | $48.40*** | $21.00 | $17.80 | $6.60* |
| 2003 | Bird Town | $33.60 | No Pool | No Pool | $38.40 |
*Favorite **KOFW single pool wagering record ***KOFW win payout record ****KOFW total wagering (three pools) record (f) – Mutuel field, was the betting favorite on Derby Day, although he had not been favored in any of the three Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools. The mutuel field, or all others, was favored in Pools 1 and 2, while Curlin, the then-unbeaten winner of the Arkansas Derby (GII) and the eventual third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, was the favorite in the third and final pool. Kentucky Oaks winner Rags to Riches was a strong betting favorite on Kentucky Oaks Day, and was favored in two of 2007's three Kentucky Oaks Future Wager pools. The mutuel field was a narrow 3-1 choice over Rags to Riches (7-2) in last year's Pool 1.
Triple Crown
Graded Stakes Races
Keeneland: Darley Alcibiades Stakes ,$650,000 ,2yo f ,8.5f Dirt
Keeneland: Jessamine Stakes ,$400,000 ,2yo f ,8.5f Turf
Keeneland: Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix ,$400,000 ,3&up ,6f Dirt
Ascot (UK): Cumberland Lodge Stakes ,$128,000 ,4&up ,12f Turf
Ascot (UK): John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes ,$128,000 ,3&up ,6f Turf
Belmont Park: Champagne Stakes ,$500,000 ,2yo ,8f Dirt
Belmont Park: Frizette Stakes ,$500,000 ,2yo f ,8f Dirt
Belmont Park: Futurity Stakes ,$200,000 ,2yo ,6f Turf
Belmont Park: Matron Stakes ,$200,000 ,2yo f ,6f Turf
Belmont Park: Miss Grillo Stakes ,$250,000 ,2yo f ,8.5f Turf
Belmont Park: Pilgrim Stakes ,$250,000 ,2yo ,8.5f Turf
Keeneland: Claiborne Breeders' Futurity ,$650,000 ,2yo ,8.5f Dirt
Keeneland: Coolmore Turf Mile ,$1,250,000 ,3&up ,8f Turf
Keeneland: First Lady ,$800,000 ,3&up f/m ,8f Turf
Keeneland: Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes ,$400,000 ,3&up f/m ,6.5f Dirt
Keeneland: Woodford Stakes ,$400,000 ,3&up ,5.5f Turf
Newmarket (UK): Sun Chariot Stakes ,$518,000 ,3&up f/m ,8f Turf
Santa Anita: American Pharoah Stakes ,$300,000 ,2yo ,8.5f Dirt
Santa Anita: Chillingworth Stakes ,$100,000 ,3&up f/m ,6.5f Dirt
Santa Anita: Oak Leaf Stakes ,$200,000 ,2yo f ,8.5f Dirt
