Kentucky Derby 2023: Post Positions, Latest Vegas Odds and Picks After Post Draw
After Monday's post position draw, we're that much closer to seeing which three-year-old horse is going to come out on top in Saturday's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
As last year's Derby showed, while certain post positions have produced more winners than others, anything can happen in the Run for the Roses.
Rich Strike, who was a late addition last year at gate No. 20 for Ethereal Road, won it all on 80-1 odds, cementing his status as one of the greatest underdog wins in Kentucky Derby history. Rich Strike was just the second winner to come from that post position.
Generally, throughout the history of the Kentucky Derby, the lower post position numbers have produced the most winners. The No. 5 gate is the only one in race history to produce double-digit winners, with the most recent among the 10 being Always Dreaming in 2017.
The second-most-successful gate is No. 10, with nine winners—including Secretariat in 1973. Gate Nos. 1, 7 and 8 have each produced eight winners.
Historically, the gate with the lowest success rate throughout the Derby's history is No. 17, which has produced zero winners. No. 19 has produced just one winner: I'll Have Another in 2012.
After Rich Strike won from the No. 20 gate in 2022, the most recent winners were positioned at No. 7 (Mandaloun, 2021), No. 15 (Authentic, 2020) and No. 18 (Country House, 2019).
While history still tells us that lower post positions are preferable, horses who start on the outside are faster out of the gate and have space to maneuver on the outside, though they have more ground to cover.
Still, eight of the last 11 winners started from post numbers of 13 or higher.
The one thing that owners, trainers and jockeys can still agree on? Gate No. 1 is dreaded.
Let's take a look at the results of Monday's post position draw for the 149th Kentucky Derby as well as early odds for each horse.
2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions and Odds
No. 1: Hit Show 30-1
No. 2: Verifying 15-1
No. 3: Two Phil's 12-1
No. 4: Confidence Game 20-1
No. 5: Tapit Trice 5-1
No. 6: Kingsbarns 12-1
No. 7: Reincarnate 50-1
No. 8: Mage 15-1
No. 9: Skinner 20-1
No. 10: Practical Move 10-1
No. 11: Disarm 30-1
No. 12: Jace's Road 15-1
No. 13: Sun Thunder 30-1
No. 14: Angel of Empire 8-1
No. 15: Forte 3-1
No. 16: Raise Cain 15-1
No. 17: Derma Sotogake 10-1
No. 18: Rocket Can 15-1
No. 19: Lord Miles 30-1
No. 20: Continuar 50-1
The results of the post position draw immediately highlight the favorite, who is Forte running from post position No. 15 and opening with 3-1 odds. Trained by Todd A. Pletcher, who won the Derby previously with Super Saver and Always Dreaming, Forte has won his last five races, including the Florida Derby on April 1.
Heading into Churchill Downs, Tapit Trice, running out of the No. 5 gate with opening 5-1 odds, is on a four-race winning streak, including the 1⅛-mile Blue Grass Stakes on April 8.
Practical Move, from the second-most-successful No. 10 gate, opens with 10-1 odds. He's on a three-race winning streak, including the Santa Anita Derby, which has produced four of the last 11 Kentucky Derby winners, per the Kentucky Derby website.
Post time for Saturday's race, broadcst on NBC, is set for 6:57 p.m.
