Ralph Siraco’s horse racing notes

Wednesday, April 19, 2000 | 10 a.m.

The record-setting third and final pari-mutuel pool of Churchill Downs' 2000 Kentucky Derby Future wager that was available for the first time in Nevada this year closed Sunday with the impressive Wood Memorial winner Fusaichi Pegasus listed as the heaviest single pool favorite in the offering's two-year history.

Of the 24 wagering interests, 12 individual horses and a field of all others represented horses that raced last weekend in the final three major Kentucky Derby prep events while the pool remained open. Of those runners, eight actually went up in price after their outings while five dropped in odds. Arkansas Derby winner Graeme Hall was clumped in the all others field spot that opened at 10/1 odds and closed at 12/1.

Of the other three Arkansas Derby participants, the well-beaten Elite Mercedes, True Confidence and runner-up Snuck In increased in price. Elite Mercedes went from a pre-race 50/1 odds to a closing 60/1, True Confidence jumped from 50/1 to 99/1 as Snuck In closed at 50/1 from 30/1 odds.

In addition to Future Book favorite Fusaichi Pegasus, three other Wood Memorial runners split, with one going up and two going down. Fusaichi Pegasus opened the Thursday session at 4/1 odds, drifted up to 9/1 before his sensational performance, then settled at 3/1 at the closing bell. Gotham winner Red Bullet closed at 18/1, up from 15/1, following his runner-up effort in the Wood while 3rd-placed finisher Aptitude, who was the Gotham runner-up, closed at 14/1 after his starting number of 30/1 as unplaced Exchange Rate landed at 40/1 from a starting 50/1 odds.

The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes had five in the pool with the winner High Yield closing just one point less at 11/1 from his pre-race odds. Another Blue Grass dropper was Tampa Bay Derby winner Wheelaway, who finished a distant 3rd, that went from 50/1 to 30/1 odds. The three others all increased in odds after their Blue Grass outings, Florida Derby winner Hal's Hope doubled from 15/1 to 30/1, Louisiana Derby winner Mighty went from 5/1 to 16/1 and runner up More Than Ready crept up a point to 21/1 odds.

Here's the complete list of closing odds (in betting number order):