Honor Code Popular in Second Derby Future Wager
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Honor Code, above (inside) defeating Cairo Prince to win the Remsen Stakes in November at Aqueduct, was favoroed among individual horses in the second Kentucky Derby Future Wager that closed Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Edited Press Release
Much of the country was covered by snow and ice during the three-day run of Churchill Downs Racetrack’s second of four pools of its 2014 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”), but fan betting produced a hot battle between six 3-year-old Thoroughbreds for the honor of favored individual horse, and trainer Shug McGaughey’s Honor Code (#8) topped that tight group by the betting equivalent of a nose.
There was no surprise in regard to the overall favorite as the Mutuel Field (#24), or “all others”, was the strong bettors’ 3-2 choice in Pool 2, which opened at noon (all times Eastern) on Thursday, Feb. 6 and concluded Saturday at 6 p.m.
Odds tightened through the final hours of betting on individual horses in the pool and Honor Code, winner of last fall’s Remsen (Grade II) at Aqueduct, was the fan favorite to win the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at Churchill Downs on May 3 – but only by a whisker.
Honor Code closed at 12-1 to edge Cairo Prince (#2) – a dominant winner of the Gulfstream Park’s Holy Bull (GIII) last time out who was narrowly beaten by Honor Code in the Remsen – and his McGaughey-trained stablemate Top Billing (#21), an impressive allowance winner at Gulfstream Park in his most recent outing. Both Cairo Prince and Honor Code closed at 13-1, but the former got the narrow edge as the second wagering choice among individual horses by a margin of $121.