Classic Empire Top Individual Choice in KDFW Pool 2

John C. Oxley's Classic Empire, the champion 2-year-old of 2016, is the individual favorite to win the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), but the mutuel field, or "all others," is expected to continue its traditional role as the overall betting choice in Pool 2 of Churchill Downs' 2017 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW), which opens its three-day run Jan. 27.

The mutuel field has been favored in the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager of the calendar year since Churchill Downs created the bet in 1999, and odds maker Mike Battaglia installed the "all others" as the 8-5 likely bettors' choice in his morning line odds for 2017's Pool 2. Wagering on the three-day pool opens at the home of the Kentucky Derby and at racetracks, satellite wagering centers, and online betting platforms at noon (all times EST) Jan. 27. Wagering on KDFW Pool 2 will conclude at 6 p.m. on Jan. 29.

Battaglia assigned odds of 5-1 to the Mark Casse-trained Classic Empire, the son of Pioneerof the Nile   who was the winner of the Eclipse Award for the champion 2-year-old of 2016 in a unanimous vote. Classic Empire scored four victories in his five races in 2016 - including a pair of triumphs at Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby will be run May 6. 

Classic Empire was the 6-1 individual choice for the opening pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager conducted over four days in November, but the "all others" bet was a strong 6-5 overall favorite at the conclusion of that pool.

The Future Wager offers $2 minimum win wagering on 24 betting interests that include 23 individual horses and the mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the individual wagering interests in a respective pool. Each pool also offers $2 exacta wagering on the 24 wagering interests, with the latter also available in $1 minimum increments in boxes and other multiple number configurations.

Payouts in the win and exacta wagering in Pool 2 will be determined by the odds that are in place at Sunday's conclusion of wagering. 

The official rules of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager do not permit scratches of betting interests or refunds of wagers placed during any of its four pools. Wagering will be suspended on a betting interest in any of the respective pools if Churchill Downs determines that an individual horse will not be able to participate in the Kentucky Derby because of injury, illness, or other circumstance.

While Classic Empire is a solid individual choice in the morning line odds for the second Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool, there are plenty Derby candidates with attractive odds among the remaining 22 individuals in the pool, including 10 horses that were not a part of November's opening pool.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the 2010 Kentucky Derby with WinStar Farm's Super Saver  , trains four KDFW Pool 2 betting interests. Pletcher's quartet includes Fact Finding (#5, 30-1), whose three wins in as many races include the Smooth Air at Gulfstream Park, Battalion Runner, Faja, and Sonic Mule.  

Other trainers with more than one Pool 2 wagering interest include Baffert; Casse, who also trains State of Honor; and Steve Asmussen, who trains Lookin At Lee and Untrapped. 

Real-time odds on the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and more information on the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby is available online at www.KentuckyDerby.com.