Kentucky Derby Post Positions By the Numbers
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Horses after breaking from the gate in the Kentucky Derby. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
Post positions for the "greatest two minutes in sports" are randomly assigned but they can carry a lot of weight. Horses that run in the Derby will break from a 20-horse starting gate, and where in that gate a horse is positioned can have a big impact on the outcome of the race.
The Derby starting gate is actually made up of two starting gates - the typical 14-horse gate used regularly at Churchill Downs plus a 6-horse auxiliary gate that is attached to the outside of the main gate. With this many 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, far inside and far outside post positions can spell disaster for a Derby hopeful's chances.
The shortest way around the track is on the rail. Horses breaking from the inside have to contend with 15 or more horses to their outside that want to move toward the inside to save ground. Those breaking from the far outside posts could be disadvantaged by getting hung wide around the first turn, making their journey to the finish line farther than inside horses.
With big fields now customary for the Derby, gates 5-15 are generally considered desirable though horses have won from almost every post position. Some trainers and owners prefer the last position in the main gate (post 14) or the first position in the auxiliary gate (post 15) due to the extra space between the gates.
I'LL HAVE ANOTHER IS THE ONLY DERBY WINNER TO BREAK FROM POST 19
The recent winning trend seems to be away from inside posts and toward outside posts. No horse has won from post 1 or 2 since Ferdinand in 1986. A total of 15 horses won from either post between 1930 and 1986. Posts 18, 19 and 20 each have only one winner but Orb (post 15 in 2013), I'll Have Another (19, 2012) and Animal Kingdom (16, 2011) all broke from the auxiliary gate before capturing Derby glory.
Check out the table below to learn more about which post positions have produced the most winners- and which post position has never produced even one. Note that with the scratch of Hoppertunity, who drew post position 11, all of the entrants drawn outside of him will move in one position and also-eligible Pablo Del Monte will occupy post position 20. The horses will, however, keep their saddlecloth number, which is used for betting purposes.
Post Position
2014 Entrant
Most Recent Winner
Number of Wins
Win Percent
Last Year’s Result
1
Vicar’s In Trouble
Ferdinand (1986)
8
9.5%
Oxbow, 6th place
2
Harry’s Holiday
Affirmed (1978)
7
8.3%
Revolutionary, 3rd place
3
Uncle Sigh
Real Quiet (1998)
5
6.0%
Golden Soul, 2nd place
4
Danza
Super Saver (2010)
5
6.0%
Normandy Invasion, 4th place
5
California Chrome
Funny Cide (2003)
8
9.5%
Mylute, 5th place
6
Samraat
Sea Hero (1993)
2
2.4%
Giant Finish, 10th place
7
We Miss Artie
Street Sense (2007)
6
7.2%
Goldencents, 17th place
8
General a Rod
Mine That Bird (2009)
8
9.6%
Overanalyze, 11th place
9
Vinceremos
Riva Ridge (1972)
4
5.0%
Palace Malice, 12th place
10
Wildcat Red
Giacomo (2005)
9
11.7%
Lines of Battle, 7th place
11
Dance With Fate (Betting #12)
Winning Colors (1988)
2
2.7%
Itsmyluckyday, 15th place
12
Chitu (Betting #13)
Canonero II (1971)
3
4.3%
Falling Sky, 20th place
13
Medal Count (Betting #14)
Smarty Jones (2004)
4
6.0%
Verrazano, 14th place
14
Tapiture (Betting #15)
Carry Back (1961)
2
3.4%
Charming Kitten, 9th place
15
Intense Holiday (Betting #16)
Orb (2013)
4
7.7%
Orb, 1st place
16
Commanding Curve (Betting #17)
Animal Kingdom (2011)
4
9.5%
Will Take Charge, 8th place
17
Candy Boy (Betting # 18)
N/A
0
0%
Frac Daddy, 16th place
18
Ride On Curlin (Betting #19)
Gato Del Sol (1982)
1
3.7%
Java’s War, 13th place
19
Wicked Strong (Betting #20)
I’ll Have Another (2012)
1
4.3%
Vyjack, 19th place
20
Pablo Del Monte (SCRATCHED)
Big Brown (2008)
1
7.1%
N/A