American Pharoah, Dortmund Kentucky Derby Future Wager favorites

American Pharoah and Dortmund are the top morning-line choices behind the mutuel field in Pool 3 of the 2015 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens Friday at noon Eastern for a three-day run. The field, the 24th or “all others” entry, closed as the 3-5 favorite in Pool 1, which ran Nov. 28-30, and was the 5-2 choice in Pool 2 (Feb. 6-8).

For Pool 3, Churchill Downs linemaker Mike Battaglia has pegged the field at 3-1, with American Pharoah and Dortmund next at 8-1 each. Both colts are based in Southern California with trainer Bob Baffert. Carpe Diem and Texas Red are next on the morning line at 12-1, followed by four horses at 15-1: Far From Over, Khozan, Ocean Knight, and Upstart.

Pool 3 coincides with the only Kentucky Oaks Future Wager to be offered by Churchill this year. The Derby pool closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern, and the Oaks pool at 6:30. For the Oaks, the field is the 5-2 morning-line choice, with Take Charge Brandi the lowest individual interest at 6-1. Condo Commando and I’m a Chatterbox are next at 8-1 each.

There are five new names in Derby Pool 3, which comes just three weeks after Pool 2: Bolo, Danzig Moon, Far From Over, Keen Ice, and War Story. Out from Pool 2 are Competitive Edge, Frosted, Gorgeous Bird, Imperia, and J S Bach.

Twelve horses have been listed individually in all three pools. Aggregate handle from the first two pools is $683,172. The all-time record for combined pools since Churchill Downs, first began offering futures in 1999 is $1,665,990, set in 2005. Pool 3 handle last year was $334,326. Kentucky Derby Pool 4 will run March 27-29. The record handle for a Kentucky Oaks pool is $126,039, set in 2013. Last year the handle was $81,234.

As with any pari-mutuel wager, odds are not locked in until the pool closes. There are no refunds. Real-time odds and exacta will-pays are available on monitors at tracks and wagering outlets where futures are offered, as well as on kentuckyderby.com.

Minimum wagers are $2 to win and $2 for exactas, although $1 boxes or part-wheels may be used to reach that $2 exacta minimum.

This is the 17th year for the future wager. A single Oaks pool was added in 2003, and exacta wagering was added in 2009. In the case of field horses filling both exacta slots, the next-best finish by a separately listed horse will count toward the winning combination. Lineups are chosen by John Asher of Churchill Downs, Brad Free of  Daily Racing Form , Ed DeRosa of Brisnet, and freelance racing writer Gary West.