Gary and Mary West’s champion 2-year-old Game Winner and hero Maximum Security are 8-1 co-morning line favorites in Pool 4 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) which opens on Friday. The three-day pool will offer win and exacta betting on 23 individual horses and an option to bet all other 3-year-olds not offered within the wagering. Pool 4 betting opens Friday at noon (all times EDT) and will close Sunday at 6 p.m. This will be the final future wager offered.

Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner and five-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer Bob Baffert, Game Winner finished second in a split division of the March 16 Rebel Stakes (GII) at Oaklawn Park – his first start in more than four months. Game Winner is expected to enter Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby (GI) as his last major prep race before the Kentucky Derby.

Maximum Security, based in South Florida with trainer Jason Servis, scored a 3 ½-length front-running victory in last Saturday’s Florida Derby (GI). A bay colt by New Year’s Day, Maximum Security debuted for a $16,000 claiming tag in late December and has won four lifetime starts by a combined 38 lengths.

The complete Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4 field (with trainer and morning line odds provided by odds maker Mike Battaglia): #1 Anothertwistafate (Blaine Wright, 30-1); #2 Bodexpress (Gustavo Delgado, 20-1); #3 Bourbon War (Mark Hennig, 15-1); #4 By My Standards (Bret Calhoun, 12-1); #5 Code of Honor (Shug McGaughey III, 12-1); #6 Cutting Humor (Todd Pletcher, 15-1); #7 Galilean (Jerry Hollendorfer, 30-1); #8 Game Winner (Baffert, 8-1); #9 Haikal (Kiaran McLaughlin, 30-1); #10 Improbable (Baffert, 10-1); #11 Instagrand (Hollendorfer, 15-1); #12 Long Range Toddy (Steve Asmussen, 15-1); #13 Maximum Security (Jason Servis, 8-1); #14 Omaha Beach (Richard Mandella, 10-1); #15 Outshine (Pletcher, 30-1); #16 Plus Que Parfait (Brendan Walsh, 30-1); #17 Roadster (Baffert, 15-1); #18 Signalman (Kenny McPeek, 50-1); #19 Spinoff (Pletcher, 30-1); #20 Tacitus (Bill Mott, 30-1); #21 Vekoma (George Weaver, 20-1); #22 War of Will (Mark Casse, 15-1); #23 Win Win Win (Mike Trombetta, 50-1); and #24 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (15-1).

Overall, Baffert is tied with Pletcher for the most entrants in Pool 4 of the KDFW. Along with Game Winner, Baffert conditions #10 Improbable and #17 Roadster while Pletcher trains #6 Cutting Humor, #15 Outshine, and #19 Spinoff.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which features $2 Win and Exacta wagering, provide fans of Thoroughbred racing with opportunities to place bets on possible entrants in the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) at odds that could be far greater than those available on the day of the race. The 145th running of Kentucky Derby, America’s greatest race and the first leg of the Triple Crown, is set for Saturday, May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Bets can be placed at Churchill Downs Racetrack, TwinSpires.com and other online wagering outlets and satellite wagering centers across North America. There are no refunds in the future wagers. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of the three-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby, betting on the individual horse will be suspended.

This is the 21st consecutive year that future wagering has been offered at Churchill Downs. Additional information and real-time odds are available online at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wager/future-wager.

Edited press release