Derby post positions set
A full field of 20 horses was drawn for Saturday's 128th running of the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday afternoon. Harlan's Holiday, the likely Derby favorite, will break from post 14 after drawing the seventh selection in the random draw. Post 14 is the outermost post in the main starting gate.
Buddha, the winner of the Wood Memorial, drew the first post selection and chose post position No. 10. Buddha will be ridden by Pat Day and has been installed as the Kentucky Derby's second favorite at 5-1 in track oddsmaker Mike Battaglia's morning-line odds. Co-second choice Came Home drew post No. 15 and is also listed at 5-1, just below Harlan's Holiday's morning-line of 9-2.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion Johannesburg drew the 17th selection in the random post order and chose the rail, post position No. 1. Johannesburg will be ridden by Gary Stevens.
The surprise of the day came earlier when Bob Baffert announced his last-minute entry of Danthebluegrassman, who finished ninth in the Santa Anita Derby in his last start. Danthebluegrassman, owned by Mike Pegram, drew post No. 17.
| Kentucky Derby 128 Field | ||||
| Prg. # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line |
| 1. | Johannesburg | Gary Stevens | Aidan P. O'Brien | 6-1 |
| 2. | Wild Horses | Rene Douglas | Todd A. Pletcher | 50-1 |
| 3. | Perfect Drift | Eddie Delahoussaye | Murray W. Johnson | 15-1 |
| 4. | Lusty Latin | Glenn Corbett | Jeff Mullins | 30-1 |
| 5. | War Emblem | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | 20-1 |
| 6. | Ocean Sound | Alex Solis | James Cassidy | 50-1 |
| 7. | Request For Parole | Robbie Albarado | Stephen R. Margolis | 20-1 |
| 8. | Essence Of Dubai | David Flores | Saeed bin Suroor | 15-1 |
| 9. | Medaglia d'Oro | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Robert Frankel | 6-1 |
| 10. | Buddha | Pat Day | James H. Bond | 5-1 |
| 11. | Private Emblem | Donnie Meche | Steven M. Asmussen | 20-1 |
| 12. | Castle Gandolpho | Jerry Bailey | Aidan P. O'Brien | 20-1 |
| 13. | Proud Citizen | Mike Smith | D. Wayne Lukas | 30-1 |
| 14. | Harlan's Holiday | Edgar Prado | Kenneth G. McPeek | 9-2 |
| 15. | Came Home | Chris McCarron | J. Paco Gonzalez | 5-1 |
| 16. | Saarland | John Velazquez | Claude McGaughey III | 15-1 |
| 17. | Danthebluegrassman | Kent Desormeaux | Bob Baffert | 50-1 |
| 18. | It'sallinthechase | Eddie Martin, Jr. | Wilson L. Brown | 50-1 |
| 19. | Easy Grades | Jorge Chavez | Ted West | 20-1 |
| 20. | Blue Burner | Corey Nakatani | William I. Mott | 30-1 |