Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 6 Closes with Renegade as Clear Favorite
The final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool has concluded, establishing the betting landscape for the 152nd Run for the Roses scheduled for May 2, 2026. Arkansas Derby champion Renegade emerged as the decisive favorite at 4-1 odds when Pool 6 closed Saturday evening at 6 p.m. ET.
Top Contenders Emerge from Final Wagering
The Todd Pletcher-trained Renegade, a son of Into Mischief, captured the public’s confidence following his impressive victory in the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Close behind in the wagering was Commandment, another Into Mischief colt who secured his position with a win in the Grade I Curlin Florida Derby. Trained by Brad Cox, Commandment closed as the 7-1 second choice.
The betting concluded just as three crucial prep races were set to unfold: the Grade I Blue Grass Stakes, Grade II Wood Memorial, and Grade I Santa Anita Derby, all taking place Saturday.
Complete Betting Results and Field Overview
The final odds reflected strong support for proven Grade I winners, with the top choices as follows:
Leading Favorites:
- #28 Renegade (Todd Pletcher, Into Mischief) – 4-1
- #8 Commandment (Brad Cox, Into Mischief) – 7-1
- #38 The Puma (Gustavo Delgado, Essential Quality) – 12-1
- #5 Chief Wallabee (Bill Mott, Constitution) – 13-1
Mid-Range Contenders at 15-1:
- #1 Agate Road (Todd Pletcher, Quality Road)
- #10 Dapper Dude (Brad Cox, Gun Runner)
- #13 Freeport (John Sadler, American Pharoah)
- #17 Kicking Dust (Kenny McPeek, Mitole)
- #29 Resilient Rider (Bill Mott, Into Mischief)
Longer Shots at 20-1:
- #2 Alottahope (Saffie Joseph Jr., Arrogate)
- #11 Dazzling Move (Kenny McPeek, Nyquist)
- #15 Gulfstream Gent (Saffie Joseph Jr., Constitution)
- #20 Mischievous Rogue (Steve Asmussen, Into Mischief)
- #21 Mystik Mischief (Steve Asmussen, Into Mischief)
- #31 Sandman (Bob Baffert, Candy Ride {Arg})
- #35 Stronghold (Phil D’Amato, Ghostzapper)
Notable Entries and Betting Patterns
Several horses garnered attention at 30-1 odds, including:
- #3 Amundsen (Dallas Stewart, Curlin)
- #6 Chancer McPatrick (Kenny McPeek, McKinzie)
- #14 Glengarry (Wayne Lukas, Constitution)
- #16 Kale Yeah (Eoin Harty, Karakontie {Jpn})
- #18 Latchkey Kid (Brad Cox, Midnight Lute)
- #22 Neon Nights (Doug O’Neill, Liam’s Map)
- #30 Rift Valley (Chad Brown, Gun Runner)
- #32 Seismic Shift (Bill Mott, Tapit)
- #37 Tequila Talkin (Steve Asmussen, Constitution)
The field included several horses at 50-1, among them #4 Bode’s Maker (Joe Sharp, Bodemeister), #7 Chasing Daylight (Brad Cox, Essential Quality), and #9 Conquest Warrior (Mark Casse, Constitution).
Mutuel Field Shows Strong Support
The Mutuel Field, encompassing all other three-year-olds not individually listed, closed as the 9-2 third choice, indicating bettors’ belief that a dark horse could still emerge from the remaining prep races.
Pool Performance and Handle
Churchill Downs reported a total handle of $1,022,451 for Pool 6, marking a 3.5% increase from the $987,228 wagered in the corresponding pool last year. This uptick demonstrates sustained interest in the Kentucky Derby futures market despite the competitive field.
The Kentucky Derby Future Wager has offered six betting opportunities throughout the winter and spring, allowing horseplayers to secure potentially valuable odds on contenders before their final prep races. With Pool 6 now closed, all eyes turn to the remaining qualifying races and the ultimate test on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs.
