Pure Clan, Eight Belles Co-Favorites in KOFW Before Oaklawn Showdown

Reigning 2-year-old filly champion Indian Blessing was the morning line favorite heading into Pool 2 of Churchill Downs’ 2008 Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, but surging Eight Belles and unbeaten Pure Clan share the top spot as the four-day pool enters its final day on Sunday.

On a day that saw Proud Spell hand Indian Blessing her first career loss in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade II), racing fans across North America turned to Fox Hill Farm’s Eight Belles and IEAH Stables and Lewis Lakin’s Pure Clan and made them the 5-1 co-favorites to win the 134th renewal of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Pure Clan held a narrow edge in total money wagered and was the actual betting favorite as total wagering in the pool rose to $28,219.

Eight Belles scored a 13 ½-length victory in a division of Oaklawn Park’s Martha Washington last time out, while the unbeaten Pure Clan took last fall’s $250,000 Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs in her most recent start. The two fillies are expected to meet in Oaklawn’s $100,000 Honeybee (GIII) on March 16.

The upset loss by Indian Blessing at Fair Grounds resulted in a tightly-packed group of Pool 2 wagering interests. Indian Blessing’s odds rose to 6-1 following her setback, the same as those on Darley Alcibiades (GI) and Hollywood Starlet (GI) winner Country Star. That duo was followed at 9-1 by Davona Dale (GII) winner Bsharpsonata and the mutuel field, the betting interest that includes all 3-year-old fillies other than the 22 individual horses in the pool. Proud Spell’s odds dropped from 20-1 to 10-1 after her Fair Grounds upset of Indian Blessing. The pool was reduced to 23 betting interests on Friday when wagering was suspended on Tizaqueena (#22).

The Kentucky Oaks Future Wager is a minimum $2 wager and a win bet only. It offers fans the opportunity to bet on contenders for the Kentucky Oaks at odds that could be greater than those they would receive on the day of the race. There are no refunds in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. Betting on Pool 2 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager is scheduled to resume at noon (all times Eastern) on Sunday, March 9. The pool will close at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday – 30 minutes after the conclusion of betting in the companion Kentucky Derby Future Wager – and winning payouts will be based on the odds in place at Sunday’s close of betting.

Real time odds on Pool 2 of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager are available on the official Kentucky Oaks Web site at www.kentuckyoaks.com. The wager’s third and final pool is set for April 3-6.

Final Pools (Day 3 - Pool 2)