With 2 days to go before Kentucky Derby post time, consider an Exacta Wheel bet to lower risk and increase reward. Too many people focus on picking the race winner. Or they bet a straight Trifecta or Superfecta, a losing proposition unless luck intervenes.
My 2017 Kentucky Derby Exacta Wheel plays it safe and sound. This often overlooked bet makes plain horse sense.
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2017 Kentucky Derby Exacta Part Wheel Bet
- Key 1: Classic Empire, Irish War Cry, McCraken
- Key 2: Irish War Cry, Always Dreaming, Gunnevera
Total Cost: $16, $2 per combination or $8, $1 per combination
What is an Exacta Part Wheel?
Refresher: An exacta is picking the first and second position horses. Final order matters.
An exacta part wheel is keying 1 or more horses into the first and second positions. Final order matters. The same horse can be placed in both keys. This essentially “boxes” that horse for the first or second position.
Why not box six or seven horses in my Exacta?
Well that would work, but it’s highly inefficient. Suppose we place the top 7 Kentucky Derby contenders in an Exacta Box. 7 horses produces 42 combinations. At $2 a combo, or $1/combo, the total cost is $84 or $42 respectively. That’s a big investment for the Derby with no guarantees.
My 5 horse Exacta Part Wheel is harder to win because I’m using fewer horses and final order matters. But its cost and focus on the most probable winners makes it more efficient.
Remember, you must subtract the wager cost from the final payout.
If a 7 horse exacta box pays $500, you profit $500-$84 = $416. If a 5 horse exacta part wheel pays $500, you profit $500-$16 = $484. The exacta part wheel pays $68 more, or another 16%, for a much cheaper wager.
Let’s look at the latest Kentucky Derby Odds to Win, top 15 Horses:
I’m not sure the odds on horse, Always Dreaming will finish first. I think the rest of the card is more promising.
So I put Classic Empire, Irish War Cry and McCraken in the first key. I key Irish War Cry again in the second key. That means the bet wins if Irish finishes first OR second. Then I key Always Dreaming and the underrated Gunnevera.
That gives us 8 combinations in total for 5 unique horses, Irish War Cry alone in both keys.
2017 Kentucky Derby Exacta Part Wheel Bet
- Key 1: Classic Empire, Irish War Cry, McCraken
- Key 2: Irish War Cry, Always Dreaming, Gunnevera
Total Cost: $16, $2 per combination or $8, $1 per combination
How to Place a Kentucky Derby Exacta Part Wheel Bet?
Visit our recommended online race books below. Wait until the field is set and each horse is assigned a starting position. Fill out your Exacta Wheel ticket with each horse’s corresponding number. Then sit back and get rich!
More Exacta betting information, cost tables and advice:
- Exacta Wheel Betting – Includes exacta wheel equation, calculations and cost tables.
- Exacta Box Betting – Discussion of Exacta Box Bet, cost calculation and tables
| See Also |
|---|
| Online Horse Betting Sites |
| Win Place Show Betting |
| USA Race Book Deposit Methods, Kentucky Derby |