Kentucky Derby Odds: Bets to Make Before Wednesday Afternoon Draw

The draw is one of the most important but underestimated aspects in determining a Kentucky Derby favorite and, occasionally, a winner.

NBC Sports Network will have live coverage of the post position draw from 5 to 6 p.m. ET Wednesday for anyone interested watching it take place.

With a field of 20 horses hopeful to compete and win this event, having a strong position can make a huge difference.

KentuckyDerby.info has some great information, compiled from 1900-2005, on which positions to definitely avoid placing a bet on. For example, the 17, 18, 19 and 20th positions have only produced a combined two winners during that 105-year span.

In contrast, the No. 1 spot and No. 5 spot have each had 12 horses adorned with roses at the end of the day.

Let’s take a look at some horses with long-shot odds that could drastically improve if they luck out and get a winning position.

Sabercat: 35/1

This underrated horse had a nice run at the Arkansas Derby but is still somehow being ignored by the bookmakers.

At 35-to-1, he is a deal right now if you believe he will get a premium post position.

Daddy Long Legs: 30/1

Scat Daddy’s son is looking like a colt who can win the roses in 2012. He won a $2 million purse at the UAE Derby and proved he can win more.

Daddy Long Legs can really move and knows how to finish, which is why this horse is going to drastically drop if he gets a No. 5 position or something similar

Went the Day Well: 18/1

This pony is coming off a Spiral Stakes victory and looks to ride that momentum into the Run for the Roses.

Animal Kingdom won at Spiral before taking charge at the Kentucky Derby, and Went the Day Well would love to do the same.

Expect these odds to drop down to 10/1 or lower if he gets a premium post.