Kentucky Derby 2012 Post Positions: Bodemeister and Biggest Benefactors of Draw

Wednesday's post position draw for the 2012 Kentucky Derby didn't yield too many surprises or disappointments. Nor was any horse particularly harmed by the way things shook out.

In other words, it was a fair affair, though these three contenders stand benefit from their respective positions, however slightly, in Saturday's "Run for the Roses."

Bodemeister

Bodemeister came into Wednesday's proceedings in a dead heat with Union Rags as the favorite to win at 9-to-2.

But while Union Rags' odds didn't move at all after being placed in post 4, Bodemeister saw his drop to 4-to-1 by virtue of the ever-so-slight move to the middle. Bodemeister was already a good bet to win the Derby, thanks to his pedigree (he's the son of Empire Maker) and the fact that he's been trained by the great Bob Baffert.

A slight push to the inside should put him in even better position to give Baffert his fourth Triple Crown win at Churchill Downs.

Hansen

No horse saw his fortunes shift quite so fortuitously as did Hansen on Wednesday. He was one of the last two to be placed, along with 30-to-1 long shot Daddy Long Legs, and got the better end of the deal at 14.

As opposed to post 1.

Hansen has shown a strong ability to rally from an outside post, as he did to win the Gotham Stakes in March. No surprise, then, that his odds dropped from 14-to-1 to 10-to-1 for Saturday's race.

Gemologist

Todd Pletcher wanted an outside post for Gemologist and that's exactly what he got. The undefeated colt from WinStar Farms wound up in post 15, just one spot over from El Padrino, another Pletcher product.

That allowed Gemologist to hold steady as the third favorite, behind Bodemeister and Union Rags, with his odds improving from 7-to-1 to 6-to-1.

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