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In the Kentucky Derby Payouts post below, one of our esteemed readers (Swale) asked about the payouts for the Oaks/Derby Double over the last ten years. Fortunately, I have that data ready and willing to share with the greater public, along with the payouts from the Woodford Turf Classic/Derby Double. I've also included in the data the odds on the winners of each leg of the two race sequence.
A note on the payouts:
Churchill Downs did not offer an Oaks/Derby Double in 2000, (or at least there wasn't a payout reported on the result chart). Additionally, Churchill didn't offer a Woodford/Derby Double in 2001.
Below are a couple of difference charts summarizing the payouts for the Oaks/Derby Double and the Woodford Turf/Derby Double since 2000, the odds of the winners in each leg, and a comparison of the Double payout with the parlay.
| Year | $2 Oaks/Derby | Leg 1 | Leg 2 |
| 2011 | $345.60 | 6.30 | 20.90 |
| 2010 | $56.60 | 1.30 | 8.00 |
| 2009 | $237.40 | 0.30 | 50.60 |
| 2008 | $37.80 | 3.40 | 2.40 |
| 2007 | $23.80 | 1.50 | 4.90 |
| 2006 | $890.20 | 47.10 | 6.10 |
| 2005 | $595.20 | 4.60 | 50.30 |
| 2004 | $60.20 | 2.30 | 4.10 |
| 2003 | $421.80 | 18.20 | 12.80 |
| 2002 | $1,395.40 | 20.00 | 20.50 |
| 2001 | $79.20 | 3.30 | 10.50 |
| 2000 | 4.90 | 2.30 | |
| Median | $237.40 | 4.00 | 9.25 |
| Year | $2 Turf/Derby | Leg 1 | Leg 2 |
| 2011 | $393.00 | 7.50 | 20.90 |
| 2010 | $294.80 | 8.80 | 8.00 |
| 2009 | $632.40 | 1.80 | 50.60 |
| 2008 | $24.80 | 2.20 | 2.40 |
| 2007 | $87.00 | 8.40 | 4.90 |
| 2006 | $60.40 | 3.50 | 6.10 |
| 2005 | $1,973.40 | 17.80 | 50.30 |
| 2004 | $103.60 | 4.80 | 4.10 |
| 2003 | $425.90 | 24.30 | 12.80 |
| 2002 | $64.00 | 1.60 | 20.50 |
| 2001 | 6.30 | 10.50 | |
| 2000 | $51.00 | 5.10 | 2.30 |
| Median | $103.60 | 5.70 | 9.25 |
Some thoughts on these payouts:
- The lowest Oaks/Derby payout since 2000 came during the Rags to Riches/Street Sense year of 2007. Both horses went off as the betting favorites and paid $23.80. It didn't get a whole lot better in 2008 when Big Brown's 5/2 odds resulted in a $37.80 payout with Proud Spell.
- The Woodford/Derby Double also has some decent payouts over the last decade, but there's also a few head-scratchers, namely the $87.00 for 8/1 over 5/1 in 2007 (Street Sense won as the 5/1 favorite), while a 5/1 and 4/1 paid $103.60 in 2004. This comparison leads to an interesting question: is it better to play the Double or to simply parlay the win bet into the next race?
Below is a comparison of the Double payouts and the two race parlay for each wager.couple takeaways from the comparisons:
| Year | $2 Oaks/Derby | $2 Parlay | +/- |
| 2011 | $345.60 | $319.74 | $25.86 |
| 2010 | $56.60 | $41.40 | $15.20 |
| 2009 | $237.40 | $134.16 | $103.24 |
| 2008 | $37.80 | $29.92 | $7.88 |
| 2007 | $23.80 | $29.50 | -$5.70 |
| 2006 | $890.20 | $683.02 | $207.18 |
| 2005 | $595.20 | $574.56 | $20.64 |
| 2004 | $60.20 | $33.66 | $26.54 |
| 2003 | $421.80 | $529.92 | -$108.12 |
| 2002 | $1,395.40 | $903.00 | $492.40 |
| 2001 | $79.20 | $98.90 | -$19.70 |
| 2000 | |||
| Median | $237.40 | $134.16 | $103.24 |
| Year | $2 Turf/Derby | $2 Parlay | +/- |
| 2011 | $393.00 | $372.30 | $20.70 |
| 2010 | $294.80 | $176.40 | $118.40 |
| 2009 | $632.40 | $288.96 | $343.44 |
| 2008 | $24.80 | $21.76 | $3.04 |
| 2007 | $87.00 | $110.92 | -$23.92 |
| 2006 | $60.40 | $63.90 | -$3.50 |
| 2005 | $1,973.40 | $1,928.88 | $44.52 |
| 2004 | $103.60 | $59.16 | $44.44 |
| 2003 | $425.90 | $698.28 | -$272.38 |
| 2002 | $64.00 | $111.80 | -$47.80 |
| 2001 | $167.90 | ||
| 2000 | $51.00 | $40.26 | $10.74 |
| Median | $103.60 | $139.85 | -$36.25 |
Note: the final "=/-" column on the bottom line is not the median difference, but the sum of the difference.
The Oaks/Derby Double typically pays better than parlay, while the Woodford/Derby Double does not. If you would have played a $2 Oaks/Derby Double (and hit it) every year since 2000, you'd have $103.24 more in your wallet than if you'd successfully parlayed the winning each year. However, that same action with the Woodford/Derby Double would have left you #36.25 in the hold when compared to what you would have won with the parlay. Just something to think about.
The Woodford/Derby Double is pretty hit and miss. Since 2000, the parlay paid better than the Double seven times, including a couple of huge payouts