Post 2 for Sweet Catomine; Wilko is hung outside

ARCADIA, Calif. - Three of the four favorites for Saturday's $750,000 drew inside posts on Wednesday, with Sweet Catomine, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2004, starting from post 2 in her debut against males.

Giacomo, second in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 19, drew the rail, and Don't Get Mad has post 3. Wilko, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Lone Star Park last October, starts from the outside in the 11-horse field. Those four are 5-1 or less on the track's morning line for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, run at 1 1/8 miles. Sweet Catomine is the 7-5 favorite, followed by Don't Get Mad (7-2), Wilko (9-2), and Giacomo (5-1). The other entrants are 10-1 or higher.

Sweet Catomine has won five consecutive stakes against fillies, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on March 13. She broke from the rail in that race. Her inside draw for Saturday's race did not please trainer Julio Canani.

"She's won from the 1-hole before," Canani said. "Whatever will be, will be. I don't want to think about nothing."

The draw did not help Wilko, who finished fourth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 19 in his first start of the year.

"I'll guess he'll stay out of trouble," trainer Craig Dollase said. "There might be plenty of speed to help set him up."

The Santa Anita Derby marks the first time since the BC Juvenile that British champion jockey Frankie Dettori will ride Wilko.

Giacomo will start from the rail for the first time. Trainer John Shirreffs said he wants jockey Mike Smith to drop back and bring him from off the pace.

"I would like to be toward the outside," Shirreffs said. "This way he won't be shuffled into the first turn."

One trainer content with the draw was Ron Ellis, who starts Don't Get Mad. Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Don't Get Mad has yet to win a stakes, but was second in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs in February and third in the San Felipe.

"I've got the two horses I've got to beat on the inside," Ellis said. "The other contender is hung out to dry. I think it worked out well for me."