There are plenty of factors to consider when betting on the Run for the Roses, one of which is Kentucky Derby post positions.
Where horses sit in the starting gate — and how they respond to that post position — greatly impacts performance and shifts Kentucky Derby odds, making the post position draw one of the key betting events in any horse racing calendar.
2024 post positions and morning line odds
The draw for the 2024 Kentucky Derby is crucial as betting lines will shift depending on where certain horses start, notably the No. 1 and the furthest outside positions.
| Post | Horse | Trainer/Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dornoch | Danny Gargan / Luis Saez | 20/1 |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | Chad Brown / Tyler Gaffalione | 3/1 |
| 3 | Mystik Dan | Ken McPeek / Brian Hernandez, Jr. | 20/1 |
| 4 | Catching Freedom | Brad Cox / Flavien Prat | 8/1 |
| 5 | Catalytic | Saffie Joseph Jr / Jose Ortiz | 30/1 |
| 6 | Just Steel | D. Wayne Lukas / Keith Asmussen | 20/1 |
| 7 | Honor Marie | Whit Beckman / Ben Curtis | 20/1 |
| 8 | Just a Touch | Brad Cox / Florent Geroux | 10/1 |
| 9 | Encino | Brad Cox / Alex Concepcion | 20/1 |
| 10 | T O Password (JPN) | Daisuke Takayanagi / Kazushi Kimura | 30/1 |
| 11 | Forever Young | Yoshito Yahagi / Ryusei Sakai | 10/1 |
| 12 | Track Phantom | Steve Asmussen / Joel Rosario | 20/1 |
| 13 | West Saratoga | Larry Demeritte / Jesus Castanon | 50/1 |
| 14 | Endlessly | Michael McCarthy / Umberto Rispoli | 30/1 |
| 15 | Domestic Product | Chad Brown / Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 30/1 |
| 16 | Grand Mo the First | Victor Barboza Jr. / Emisael Jaramillo | 50/1 |
| 17 | Fierceness | Todd Pletcher / John Velazquez | 5/2 |
| 18 | Stronghold | Phil D'Amato / Antonio Fresu | 20/1 |
| 19 | Resilience | Bill Mott / Junior Alvarado | 20/1 |
| 20 | Society Man | Danny Gargan / Frankie Dettori | 50/1 |
| AE 21 | Epic Ride | John Ennis / Adam Beschizza | 50/1 |
| AE 22 | Mugatu | Jeff Engler / Joe Talamo | 50/1 |
Printable Kentucky Derby Post Positions and Odds
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Kentucky Derby wins by post-position
Where Kentucky Derby horses start can either give them an advantage or a disadvantage right out of the gate. Here are the post positions that claim the most Kentucky Derby titles since the introduction of the starting gate in 1930.
Post No. 17 has never won the Kentucky Derby, and only three No 17 horses have finished in the money in 42 overall starts.
| Post Position | Wins | Last win |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Ferdinand (1986) |
| 2 | 7 | Affirmed (1978) |
| 3 | 5 | Real Quiet (1998) |
| 4 | 5 | Super Saver (2010) |
| 5 | 10 | Always Dreaming (2017) |
| 6 | 2 | Sea Hero (1993) |
| 7 | 7 | Justify (2018) |
| 8 | 9 | Mage (2023) |
| 9 | 4 | Riva Ridge (1972) |
| 10 | 9 | Giacomo (2005) |
| 11 | 2 | Winning Colors (1988) |
| 12 | 3 | Canonero II (1971) |
| 13 | 5 | Nyquist (2016) |
| 14 | 2 | Carry Back (1961) |
| 15 | 6 | Authentic (2020) |
| 16 | 4 | Animal Kingdom (2011) |
| 17 | 0 | - |
| 18 | 2 | Country House (2019) |
| 19 | 1 | I'll Have Another (2012) |
| 20 | 2 | Big Brown (2008), Rich Strike (2022) |
Best post position at the Kentucky Derby
In terms of producing Kentucky Derby winners as well as winning wagers, the best post position at the Kentucky Derby is gate No. 10. This middle spot boasts nine Derby champs (10.7%) and 24 horses in the money in 84 total starts (28.7%), edging out No. 5 with 10 race winners and 22 ITM finishes in 91 overall starts.
Worst post position at the Kentucky Derby
Gate No. 17 is the worst post position in the Kentucky Derby. No. 17 has yet to produce a Derby champ and has had only three horses finish in the money, through 42 overall starts. No. 6 hasn’t fared that well either, with just two winners and only 13 horses ITM through 91 starts.
Wins-by-post-position trends
- Post No. 5 boasts the most Kentucky Derby winners with 10 (11%), most recently Always Dreaming in 2017. Posts No. 10 (nine winners) and No. 15 (six winners) are the next two most successful starting positions for the Kentucky Derby.
- Post No. 17 has never produced a Kentucky Derby winner since the starting gate was introduced in 1930, however, due to race dropouts No. 17 has had only 42 starts. With that in mind, No. 6 is also a bad starting position with only two wins in 91 starts (2.2%).
- Drawing the rail in post No. 1 is challenging but not impossible, as it’s produced eight Derby champions – the last being Ferdinand in 1986. However, drawing one of the four inside gates isn’t advantageous, with gates No. 1 through No. 4 ranging in win percentages between 5.5 and 8.8 and the last winner out of those first four gates coming in 2010 (Super Saver).
- The longest Derby drought between winners is post No. 14 which last boasted a winner in 1961 (Carry Back) and has only claimed two champs in 66 starts (3%).
In-the-money finishes by post position
When it comes to Kentucky Derby betting, it’s all about finishing in the money (ITM): first, second or third. Here’s a look at the historic Kentucky Derby post position returns for bets to win, place, or show.
| Post Position | ITM | Last ITM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Lookin at Lee (2017) |
| 2 | 25 | Revolutionary (2013) |
| 3 | 20 | Two Phil's (2023) |
| 4 | 15 | Danza (2014) |
| 5 | 22 | Audible (2018) |
| 6 | 13 | Good Magic (2018) |
| 7 | 20 | Mandaloun (2021) |
| 8 | 20 | Mage (2023) |
| 9 | 18 | Hot Rod Charlie (2021) |
| 10 | 24 | Paddy O'Prado (2010) |
| 11 | 12 | Code of Honor (2019) |
| 12 | 9 | Afleet Alex (2005) |
| 13 | 19 | Nyquist (2016) |
| 14 | 15 | Angel of Empire (2023) |
| 15 | 9 | Authentic (2020) |
| 16 | 10 | Commanding Curve (2014) |
| 17 | 3 | Forty Niner (1988) |
| 18 | 6 | Country House (2019) |
| 19 | 2 | I'll Have Another (2012) |
| 20 | 2 | Big Brown (2008), Rich Strike (2022) |
In-the-money finishes by post position trends
- Gate No. 10 has handed out the most money at the Kentucky Derby, with 24 horses finishing in the money in 84 starts (28.6%). However, the last horse to win, place, or show from No. 10 was Paddy O'Prado, finishing third way back in 2010.
- Posts No. 2 (25 ITM in 91 starts) and No. 5 (22 ITM in 91 starts) are the next most profitable Kentucky Derby starting positions in terms of finishers in the money, but No. 13 boasts 19 ITM horses in only 74 starts for a higher ITM percentage (25.7%).
- The lowest percent of horses finishing in the money comes out of gate No. 17 with only three ITM in 42 starts (7.1%). However, No. 6 has just 13 ITM results in 91 overall starts (14.3%).
- Post No. 9 has only four Kentucky Derby winners over 87 starts but has seen 17 horses finish in the money in those races (19.5%), most recently Firing Line with a second-place run against eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in 2015.
Using post position to handicap the Kentucky Derby
When handicapping the Kentucky Derby, respect the historical production from certain post positions but put more weight into how the individual horses have performed in those starting gates. Recognize how a horse wants to run the race, either setting the pace or stalking and how the post position influences that strategy.
If a horse draws one of the four inside positions, look back at its previous races and if it has raced from similar starting gates as well as investigate the respective jockey and how they’ve dealt with the early inside position.
Horses on the inside are often pinched up against the rail and bumped as jockeys fight for the inside line early into the race. Some jockeys holding an inside gate will push the horse hard from the start to avoid that traffic but run the risk of leaving the horse gassed for the remainder of the race.
Horses on the outside don’t find themselves getting banged around as much early on, which lends itself more to stalking paces who look to push hard late in the race. However, outside track position can be tough to make up if the early pace is fast and the horse isn’t used to the 1 ¼-mile distance.
History of post positions at the Kentucky Derby
Post positions have been used in the past 91 Kentucky Derby races, with the starting gate first being introduced in the 1930 Run for the Roses. Prior to proper gates, horses were lined up as best they could behind a series of wires. This format led to unfair positioning and unruly horses bumping and kicking other competitors before the start of the race.
With a field of up to 20 horses, the Kentucky Derby required two separate starting gates (most commonly 14-horse gates) until 2020, when a custom 20-horse gate was debuted. The decision for the larger gate was based on the safety of horses and riders, eliminating extra spacing between the main and auxiliary gates that caused those horses on the outside to recklessly fight for rail position against a bigger break from the main gate.
Where can I bet on the Kentucky Derby?
Several legal horse racing betting sites allow you to wager on the Kentucky Derby, but not every sportsbook is allowed to offer Derby odds. We have created a guide outlining the best Kentucky Derby betting sites available in your area.
Which states have legal betting on the Kentucky Derby?
While sports bettors can enjoy some form of online or retail wagering in 34 states (+ DC), horse racing enthusiasts have even more legal options. Refer to our list of legal states for betting on horse racing to see if horse race betting is legal in your state via the FanDuel Racing app.
Canada (excluding Ontario)
Almost all sports betting sites offer fixed-odds betting on horse racing. Check out the best sports betting sites in Canada or sign up now with one of our top partners, bet365, and earn up to $200 in bet credits!
Ontario
Following the changes to the iGaming regulations on April 4, 2022, horse racing betting is no longer available at sportsbooks. Those in Ontario who are looking to bet on the Kentucky Derby will need to sign up at one of Woodbine's two online offerings, HPIbet and Dark Horse Bets.
Kentucky Derby post position FAQs
The official starting lineup for the Kentucky Derby will be drawn on April 27, 2024
Kentucky Derby post positions are determined in a random draw.
The best post position for the Kentucky Derby is No. 10, which has produced nine winners and 24 horses in the money in 84 overall starts.
The worst post position for the Kentucky Derby is No. 17, which has never produced a winner and has had only three horses finish in the money in 42 overall starts.
Post No. 17 has never won the Kentucky Derby and only three No 17 horses have finished in the money in 42 overall starts.
