Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Kentucky Derby, Oaks & Sire Future Wagers

Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Sire Future Wagers allow racing fans to bet on potential contenders in the Derby and Oaks before the races’ final entrants are determined. Betting early will potentially present lucrative odds with your Kentucky Derby favorite, locking in those odds through the Kentucky Derby. The KDFW features Road to the Kentucky Derby prep and championship series of races.

KENTUCKY DERBY & OAKS FUTURE WAGER POOLS

The traditional Kentucky Derby & Oaks Future Wagers are an opportunity for fans to bet early in the racing season on horses whom they think have the potential to earn a spot in the starting gate and go on to win the Kentucky Derby & Oaks races. Future Wager bets typically offer larger payouts than betting the same horse on race day because it is not yet known which horses will ultimately qualify to run in the Derby & Oaks. Learn More about the 2026-2027 Future Wager >

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Rules:

• View Future Wager Rules (PDF) >>

Pool 1 Resources

• Future Wager Pool 1 Brisnet PPs (PDF) >
• Churchill Downs News Release: 'All Others' 6-5 Favorite, U. S. S. Valor 8-1 in Pool 1 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Past Pool Results

The importance of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager; An Overview

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) is a series of betting pools that opens months before the race, giving Kentucky Derby fans the chance to bet on horses, or the field with 'All Others,' at early odds before the Derby field is even set. For the 2027 Kentucky Derby on May 1, five pools will be conducted from the fall of 2026 through mid-March 2027, with a sixth pool opening as the final prep races concluded.

How it works: Bettors can wager on a specific named horse, or on 'All Others' which is a catch-all option for any horse not listed individually. Odds shift pool to pool as horses prove themselves or miss earning points and thus potentially eliminated from the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The odds are pari-mutuel in nature and can shift during the offering period, but locked in as final odds at close.

Early pools are typically dominated by the 'All Other 3-Year-Olds' mutuel field, opening as a heavy favorite. As the prep circuit progresses, individual standouts emerge:

• Pools 1 & 2 (Late 2026): These pools focused on top two-year-olds. The field interest often closes around 2-1, while individual favorites might see final odds ranging from 15-1 to 30-1.
  • Learn More: An example from how to bet the 2026 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1
• Pools 3 & 4 (Jan/Feb 2027): Odds tightened as prep winners emerge. Morning lines for leaders typically sit at 10-1, often dropping to 6-1 or 8-1 by the close of wagering.
  • Learn More: An example from how Paladin lead the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 4
• Pool 5 (March 2027): The picture becomes clearer following the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby. For example, Renegade saw a morning line of 20-1 but plummeted to 4-1 after dominant performances, while Commandment closed near 6-1.
  • Learn More: An example of KDFW Pool 5: Paladin, Chief Wallabee close as overall 8-1 favorites; Zany 4-1 in KOFW

The final pool (Pool 6), held in early April, is critical because it occurs alongside the last major 100-point prep races (Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct, and Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita). While early pools offer 'lottery-style' payouts on unknown longshots, the final pool provides the most accurate reflection of the actual Derby starting gate. Pool 6 allows bettors to hedge earlier positions or back a late-bloomer with more certainty, though at significantly lower prices than the mid-winter pools.