Prep season for the 151^st Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve is well underway, and there’ll be little letup over the next three-plus months until the first leg of the Triple Crown is run May 3 at Churchill Downs.

One of the most intellectually stimulating and potentially rewarding aspects of following up-and-coming Derby contenders is backing up your opinion with a future wager, and there are two ways to do it: in Churchill Downs’ third parimutuel pool held this weekend and making a fixed-odds bet via Caesars Sportsbook in Las Vegas. 

Churchill’s third of six parimutuel pools starts Friday, Jan. 17 at noon ET and ends Sunday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. ET. Thirty-nine individual horses are offered plus an “all other 3-year-olds” bet that opens at 5-2 odds. One Kentucky Derby points race will be held while Churchill Downs’ pool is open: the Lecomte Stakes Saturday, Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds.

Caesars continues to add horses to their fixed-odds book, but the catch is wagers can only be placed in Nevada, in person or through their geo-restricted app. If you’re traveling there this winter and spring or know someone who is, get your bets in!

Caesars Sportsbook Kentucky Derby Leaderboard (Jan. 12)

1. Barnes (10-1)

2. Sovereignty (15-1)

3. Journalism (18-1)

3. Patch Adams (18-1)

5. Gaming (20-1)

Individual Favorites in Churchill Downs’ Third Kentucky Derby Pool (opening Jan. 17)

1. Barnes (10-1)

2. East Avenue (15-1)

3. Bullard (20-1)

3. Chancer McPatrick (20-1)

3. Citizen Bull (20-1)

3. Journalism (20-1)

3. Patch Adams (20-1)

3. Rodriguez (20-1)

Updates and insights:

Rodriguez (BENOIT photo)

Five horses that I discussed in my first Derby futures article for this year’s season won one or more races since that was published in November: Barnes, Journalism, Patch Adams, Rodriguez, and Sandman. Barnes continues to be the “buzz” horse in the Derby future markets, especially after showing more maturity in his second start – and second win – Jan. 4 in the seven-furlong San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Still, the Bob Baffert trainee is a big underlay on Churchill’s pool and in Caesars’ book. Among that quintet, the most impressive effort in my view came from stablemate Rodriguez, who romped by seven lengths in a one-mile maiden race also on Jan. 4 at Santa Anita and earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. He’s opening at 20-1 in Churchill’s pool and rated at 25-1 in Caesars’ Derby future wager pool.

Another one to keep an eye on and consider betting is Patch Adams. That colt also earned sizzling speed figures (98 Beyer and 110 Equibase Speed Figure, the latter is dubious in my view) when dominating a seven-furlong maiden race at Churchill Downs by 10 ½ lengths back in November. Patch Adams hasn’t raced since but is targeting the Jan. 25 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park for trainer Brad Cox, per the Daily Racing Form. He’s 20-1 opening at Churchill and 18-1 in Vegas, and if you’ve got a lot of faith in his potential now is the time to lock those odds in.

(Note: Chancer McPatrick is offered by Churchill and Caesars but is currently sidelined with minor foot issues.)

Two to watch:

Grande (Lauren King/Coglianese Photo)

Grande made his career debut last Saturday, Jan. 11 at Gulfstream Park in a one-turn mile maiden race on dirt. He broke from the rail and, under a typically excellent ride from John Velazquez, maneuvered to position himself outside of early leader and 1-2 favorite Camp Hale, a colt making his third start after two runner-up finishes. Grande put that foe away at the top of the stretch and won by 2 ½ lengths, earning solid first-out speed figures (81 Beyer, 77 Equibase). This colt is owned by Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, so you know he’ll be given one or more chances to earn Derby points in the weeks ahead. He’s by Hall of Famer and top sire Curlin and out of a Grade 3-winning dam (mother). Grande is offered in Churchill’s third Derby pool held this weekend at opening odds of 50-1. He’s not listed in Caesars’ latest book that came out a day after his debut, but should be as soon as next week.

A prospect that’s not in Churchill’s upcoming pool but is listed at Caesars – and at juicy 100-1 odds, to boot – is Burning Glory from Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s barn. The Into Mischief colt finished fifth and second in his first two starts last year at Churchill Downs and then won on that track’s final day of its fall meet Dec. 1 after outdueling a longshot to score by a neck in a one-mile maiden race. He’s since been training steadily for Mott in Florida and should resurface soon, most likely at Gulfstream Park. Burning Glory is a Juddmonte Farms homebred and has the requisite sterling pedigree as a close relative of such standout racehorses as champion Close Hatches, $4 million earner Tacitus, and reigning champion older dirt female Idiomatic.