Favored American Pharoah Draws Post 18

Zayat Stables' American Pharoah drew post 18 for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) during the post position draw April 29 at Churchill Downs.

American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old male of 2014, is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who seeks his fourth win in the Derby. Baffert's last win came with War Emblem in 2002.

American Pharoah, winner of the Arkansas Derby (gr. I) by eight lengths after taking Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes (gr. II) by 6 1/4 lengths, will be ridden by Victor Espinoza. Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia made him the 5-2 favorite for the 20-horse field.

The only Derby winner to come from post 18 since 1930 was Gato Del Sol in 1982.

Baffert's other runner, Kaleem Shah's Dortmund, drew post 8. The unbeaten son of Big Brown   will be ridden by Martin Garcia and was installed the 3-1 second choice.

"Outside doesn't really bother me," Baffert said of the favorite's draw. "As long as he breaks well, he'll be in a good spot.

"He's out there a ways but it's not a bad spot. He's quick, he can maneuver from wherever he is and Dortmund, he is pretty fast himself. I'm sure if he breaks well he's going to be in a good spot. They're fast horses. I'm just glad the draw's over with."

Dortmund won all three of his starts at 2 and is perfect in three starts this year. The 17.2-hand chestnut won Santa Anita's Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. III), San Felipe Stakes (gr. II), and Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).

Third choice on the morning line is WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables' Carpe Diem at 8-1. The son of Giant's Causeway   drew an inside spot in post 2.

Carpe Diem has won four of five starts and is two-for-two this year. On March 7 he won the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) and on April 4 won Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) by  three lengths over Danzig Moon.

Carpe Diem will be ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher. Pletcher, who won the 2010 Derby with Super Saver  , has other Derby starters Materiality, winner of the Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I) who drew post 3; Itsaknockout, winner of the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) who will break from post 13; and Stanford, second in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) who drew post 11.

"In a perfect world we would have drawn a little farther outside, obviously, but he is a good gate horse and he breaks well," Pletcher said of Carpe Diem. "So he will need to come out and establish a position, but you need to do that from any post. Hopefully he will get a clean start.

"Materiality is outside of him and he's a good gate horse as well. I was happy with the 11 and 13 for those other two. Sometimes you get a good post and a bad trip and vice-versa, so it will all work out. I don't get to pick.



"I'm pretty sure we're going to save some ground (with Carpe Diem and Materiality) so I'm pretty happy about that. I think we're going to work out a great trip. Two of the best pilots are aboard"

Alto Racing's Materiality (Afleet Alex  —Wildwood Flower, by Langfuhr) will be ridden by Javier Castellano.



"No one knows how the race is going to break well, who's not going to break well, who's going to get in trouble going into the first turn,' Pletcher said. "If anyone knows how their trips are going to work out because of the posts they got, they're smarter than me."

"I'm very happy with the draw," said trainer Simon Callaghan of the draw for Firing Line. "I believe we're last to load, which is an advantage. And with the No. 10, you've got options."



Arnold Zetcher's Firing Line is a 12-1 chance on the morning line. The Southern California-based colt battled twice with Dortmund in the Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I) and Robert B. Lewis, dropping head decisions each time. Shipped to New Mexico for the Sunland Derby (gr. III), Firing Line responded with a 14 1/4-length victory.

Breaking from the rail will be DP Racing's Ocho Ocho Ocho. The winner of the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) last November is listed at 50-1 on the morning line after a third-place finish behind Carpe Diem in the Blue Grass.

"It is what it is," said Jim Cassidy, trainer of Ocho Ocho Ocho. "It's a tough spot but what are you going to do? My plan, to be honest with you, is still to take hold and sit in the second flight. I've got to think Carpe Diem and a couple of those others are going to go but I don't want to go with them, or sit behind. That's what I'm going to talk to (jockey) Elvis (lTrujillo) about."

Mubtaahij, attempting to become the first Derby winner based in Dubai, drew post 6. The winner of the UAE Derby (UAE-II) is trained by Mike de Kock and has won four of seven starts. The son of Dubawi is listed as a 20-1 shot on the morning line.



"I've got to be happy with it," de Kock said after drawing post six. "I was thinking I'd be happy with the seven or eight post, and got the six. At least it gives you chance, but it gives you no excuse, though."



Loooch Racing Stables, et al's War Story, who placed in all three preps at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots this winter, drew post 16. Joe Talamo will ride the 50-1 shot.

"I just got a text from daughter, who said it's one of the highest-winning post positions," said trainer Tom Amoss. "I went from being disappointed to be very excited."

Four horses have won from 16: Animal Kingdom   (2011), Monarchos   (2001), Charismatic (1999), and Thunder Gulch (1995).

Post time for the Run for the Roses is 6:34 p.m. EDT, and the race will be televised on NBC from 4:30-7 p.m.

Twenty-two horses were entered for the Derby. Frammento and Tale of Verve are on the also-eligible list. Scratch time is 9 a.m. May 1.

The draw was conducted by Churchill Downs' Ben Huffman. In a standard blind draw the first 10 were selected, there was a commercial break, and the last 10 were drawn. Adding some drama—and angst—most  of the early morning-line choices were left for the second half of the draw.

Since 1930, posts 5 and 10 have produced the most winners with nine apiece. Posts 1 and 8 have had eight winners each, but the horse on the rail has not hit the wire first since Ferdinand in 1986. Post 2 has seven winners. The only post position not have a winner is 17.

The morning-line favorite has won the last two runnings of the Derby. Orb   paid $12.80 after being the 7-2 choice in 2013 and California Chrome paid $7 as the 5-2 morning-line choice last year. However, only two other morning-line favorites have won since Spectacular Bid in 1979: Big Brown   (2008) and Fusaichi Pegasus   (2000).

The Derby will carry a purse of $2,203,800 with $1,443,800 to the winner, $400,000 to the runner-up, $200,000 for third, $100,000 for fourth, and $60,000 for fifth.