Kentucky Derby Post Positions 2012: Posting Closer to the Rail Is Big Advantage

With the draw for the 2012 Kentucky Derby post positions at 5:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the talk about the importance of the drawing is on the lips of every race fan.

While many fans of the sport don’t believe that post positions have much meaning in terms of who eventually wins the race, the statistics don’t lie.

The horses that start closer to the rail win more often.

As much as the inside lane itself hasn’t been the ideal start spot, with just one win from post No. 1 since 1964 (Ferdinand in 1986), the closer you are to the rail without actually being on it is the best bet.

Don't believe me? See for yourself!

Kentucky Derby Post History (1900-2011)

Position	Wins
1	12
2	9
3	8
4	11
5	12
6	6
7	8
8	10
9	4
10	10
11	3
12	3
13	4
14	2
15	3
16	4
17	0
18	1
19	0
20	2

What It Means

In simple science, the shortest distance around the track is as close to the rail as possible. The farther from the rail a horse is, the more ground it has to cover to get to the same spot.

The start of the Derby is always a crapshoot of bodies rushing to the lower half of the track, so the horses in the first 10 posts have a much better shot at using their straight-line speed to get away from the field at the start.

For bettors, any post position from No. 2 to No. 10 will be a hot bed for action on Saturday. If a longshot posts in a high winning-percentage spot, taking a flier on the horse may be an investment you can bank on.

What’s Next?

The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest gambling days of the year, and the odds right now have been set long enough to make wagers. After 5 p.m. ET, the odds will be completely different.

For those still arguing about the lack of importance when it comes to post positions, watch what happens when a favorite draws post No. 20 or a long shot draws post No. 5. The odds will change drastically.

While we don’t condone gambling, if you are making wagers, please don’t ignore the post positions.

Check back for more on Horse Racing as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s Horse Racing Page to get your fill of all things from the ponies.

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