Kentucky Derby Post Draw: Post Position Will Determine Winner of Historic Race

This could be one of the most wide-open Kentucky derbies in years. That's why every little advantage counts.

Post position may be a pivotal indicator of who will come out on top this year. Favorites Union Rags and Bodemeister figure to be in the running, but they may not be leading down the stretch if they don't get a favorable position in the post draw on Wednesday.

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia said about the race this year, via USA Today Sports, "If Bodemeister has a bad draw, then it's got to be Union Rags. And if Union Rags has a bad draw, it would be the other way around."

Battaglia also said that the rail would be a tough position to win at if there's a full 20-horse field, as expected. Union Rags or Bodemeister could both race relatively well, but not be at the forefront down the stretch simply because they had too much to overcome.

Union Rags has never finished worse than third, but he would become the only Kentucky Derby victor unraced at two years old since Apollo in 1882 if he pulled it off. Bodemeister is coming off a 9 1/2-length victory at the Arkansas Derby in just his fourth start.

It's still possible that some of the favorites (including Gemologist) could win the Derby on the rail, but the 20-horse field means a horse would likely have to be nearly perfect to pull it off. In that sense, you could see a less talented but better-positioned horse win the Derby this year.

Whoever emerges from the draw off the rail on Wednesday, you can bet they will be beaming. 

Follow me on Twitter. We can talk about horse racing together.