Post positions were drawn Wednesday morning for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 6, leaving the connections of the 20 entrants plus two also-eligibles to reflect on the stalls from which their charges will break.
TODD PLETCHER
Always Dreaming (#5): “It’s fine. Ideally, I’d have liked to have been a little farther out, but he won the Florida Derby (G1) from the four, so that says something. In the end, we’re good with it.”
Tapwrit (#16): “Love the post for him. He’ll do fine from there. That’s been a good starting spot in the past. We’re glad to have it.” (Four horses have won the Kentucky Derby from post 16 – Animal Kingdom [2011], Monarchos [2001], Charismatic [1999] and Thunder Gulch [1995]).
Patch (#20): “We’re OK with it. There’s nothing outside to bother him, so that’s good. He’s been a good gate horse and I don’t see any problems. I’d rather have it than have the one.”
JERRY HOLLENDORFER
Battle of Midway (#11): “We like our post quite a bit. It’s right in the middle. I need to study the Form and talk to (jockey) Flavien (Prat) before we make a basic plan but it’s a rider’s race and we’ll see what happens.”
MARK CASSE
Classic Empire (#14): “It’s a good spot. A couple of key contenders are outside of us, which is kind of nice.”
State of Honor (#6): – “I love having State of Honor right outside Always Dreaming (in post five).”
MIKE MAKER
Fast and Accurate (#3): “I’m not too worried about stuff you have no control over, but I’m pleased with it.”
JOE SHARP
Girvin (#7): “That would have been the post position I would have hand-picked if we were still doing it that way. We’re happy with it. I guess with it being a 20-horse field, it’s all the trip anyway and he’s run well inside before. I’d rather have a little less distance to travel than some of the others.”
JOHN SHIRREFFS
Gormley (#18): “We wanted to be in the main gate (one through 14), but what are you going to do? We’ve got a very experienced rider (three-time Kentucky Derby winner Victor Espinoza) and he’ll know what to do out there.”
ANTONIO SANO
Gunnevera (#10): “The post position is good. I said I wanted the middle of the field.”
STEVE ASMUSSEN
Hence (#8): “The eight for Hence is one of the preferred spots statistically. I think, looking at the stats the last 20 years, the eight, 13 and 16 posts have produced the most in-the-money finishes.”
Lookin at Lee (#1): “I didn’t want the one hole, but if any horse can handle the one hole in the Kentucky Derby, it’s Lookin at Lee.”
Untrapped (#4): “With Untrapped, the four is a bit of a concern because Always Dreaming is just to his outside and he’ll probably be the pace horse.”
DOUG O’NEILL
Irap (#9): “Just about perfect. We wanted the 10, but nine is next best. The way they load them – one and 11, two and 12 – we wanted to stand in there the least amount of time. But this is next best. We’re very happy with it.”
GRAHAM MOTION
Irish War Cry (#17): “(2011 Kentucky Derby winner) Animal Kingdom was 16, so I can’t be disappointed with 17. It can be done from out there. I’m happy enough with it.”
DALE ROMANS
J Boys Echo (#13): “Thirteen is a lucky number. It’s a good spot to be in. We just didn’t want the one or 20 post. We have horses on both sides of us so, if given the option, we couldn’t have hand picked a better spot.”
IAN WILKES
McCraken (#15): “It is a very good draw. They were trying to tease us a little bit with the one and 20 still out for the second half of the draw. We have a good spot because there is that small gap between the main gate and the auxiliary gate.”
BRIAN HERNANDEZ JR. (jockey)
McCraken (#15): “We got a little nervous with the one still out there. I told Ian this was the only time to get nervous because we couldn’t control it. We drew well. I am very happy with it.”
CHAD BROWN
Practical Joke (#19): “I’m disappointed with the draw. Nineteen is obviously not where we want to be but we’ll just have to work out a trip from there.”
KENT DESORMEAUX (jockey)
Sonneteer (#12): “It is good. He is just going to drop out to the back anyway.”
SAEED BIN SUROOR
Thunder Snow (#2): “We’re happy with that. We need to be handy in the race. The horse has a good turn of foot and he can be there and kick readily and that is the plan.”
I have been owner, trainer and breeder most of my life, and ALWAYS DREAMIN
WITH RACING LUCK WILL WIN. GOOD BE NEXT TRIPLE CROWN WINNER. HORSE IS AWESOME