May 1, 2021
If you like Essential Quality as your bet to win the Kentucky Derby, I’m sorry. The prospective payout is small and likely to get smaller.
The unbeaten two-year-old champion was established as the 2–1 favorite in the morning line by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, lower than many expected. “I thought he might be 3–1,” said Essential Quality trainer Brad Cox, “but I’m not betting, so. …”
“Mattress Mack”
is betting, and his promised wager will further diminish the price on Essential Quality if the gray colt wins the Run for the Roses. Jim McIngvale, owner of the national Gallery Furniture chain, told me he wired $4 million to Churchill on Wednesday in preparation for betting on the Derby favorite in a promotion tied to his chain’s mattress sales. “I may bet $2 million, I may bet $4 million,” he said, aiming for a total that would cover his guarantee to reimburse every Gallery Furniture customer who buys a mattress worth $3,000 or
Bob Baffert is the greatest to ever do it.
Thanks to a magnificent performance by Medina Spirit, the Arizona alum won his seventh Kentucky Derby on Saturday, the most by any horse trainer ever. Baffert overtook
Ben Jones, who won six Kentucky Derbies from 1938 to 1952.
Given 13-1 odds and ridden by jockey
John Velazquez, Medina Spirit led Saturday’s rendition wire to wire.
Medina Spirit is the winner of the @KentuckyDerby!
Watch the full #KyDerby race from start to finish. #DerbyAtHome
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” Baffert said on NBC. “I’m so spoiled, bringing these heavy-duty horses in here. And this little horse has a big heart.”
By Jason Hall
Houston furniture store owner
Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale said he plans on making the largest wager in Kentucky Derby history during the annual race at Churchill Downs this weekend.
McIngvale, 70, told
the
Las Vegas Review-Journal that he plans to bet 2 million plus, maybe $3 million, maybe $4 million on
Essential Quality, the 5-2 favorite to win on Saturday (May 1.)
McIngvale has been known to place multimillion-dollar bets in recent years in an effort to hedge potential losses on furniture promotions, with Saturday s bet offering customers a chance to get their money back on a mattress purchased at $3,000 or more if the favorite wins the Kentucky Derby.
By Jason Hall
Houston furniture store owner
Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale said he plans on making the largest wager in Kentucky Derby history during the annual race at Churchill Downs this weekend.
McIngvale, 70, told
the
Las Vegas Review-Journal that he plans to bet 2 million plus, maybe $3 million, maybe $4 million on
Essential Quality, the 5-2 favorite to win on Saturday (May 1.)
McIngvale has been known to place multimillion-dollar bets in recent years in an effort to hedge potential losses on furniture promotions, with Saturday s bet offering customers a chance to get their money back on a mattress purchased at $3,000 or more if the favorite wins the Kentucky Derby.