There are already Kentucky Derby futures betting pools that allow you to place an early bet on the eventual race winner. Churchill Downs is looking at a bet that would allow wagering on the *father* of the Kentucky Derby winner.
The most successful gaming businesses are always looking for innovative new wager types and Churchill Downs is no different. They’re in the process of getting approval for a bet that would allow wagering on the stallion to sire the eventual Kentucky Derby winner. There are no plans to offer the bet this year but the wager is on the agenda of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s next meeting. Getting their approval would be the first step in the process.
The proposed Derby Sire bet would be identical to the current futures betting pool. 23 ‘named’ stallions would be listed along with a 24th betting interest for ‘all others’ to include sires that aren’t named. You can insert a joke about horses not knowing who their real father is here. Churchill spokesman John Asher shared some background on the potential new bet: “We’ve been looking at different things to do with the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. For instance, if we had been able to do that one this fall and had decided to do so, I’ve got a feeling that Tapit would have been the morning-line favorite to be the sire of next year’s Kentucky Derby winner.”
The necessary background work is unlikely to be completed to offer it in time for the 2015 Kentucky Derby but Asher said that it would be added to the betting menu at some point in the future: “That’s the concept, to look at established sires, successful sires, first-crop sires of promise – for instance, this year (2010 Derby winner) Super Saver would have been a natural. It’s a concept we’ve discussed and we need Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approval to implement it. Don’t have plans to do it this year, in these four pools (for the 2015 Derby), but something for down the road.”
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meets next Tuesday and while the bet is on the agenda they don’t have to take action to approval or deny the request at this time.