Kentucky Derby 2013 Post Positions: Coveted Slots Every Jockey Is Hoping for

Post positions for the 2013 Kentucky Derby will be announced on Wednesday evening, and there are specific slots that jockeys will be coveting.

In other forms of racing, the farther inside competitors can get, the better it is for their chances of winning. Beginning on the outside at Churchill Downs and attempting to charge down the final stretch, though, isn't always a bad strategy.

With 20 horses in the field for the 139th annual Run for the Roses, it's always a convoluted cluster at the beginning, and it's vital to maintain pace with the rest of the pack to set up a final move.

Thus, it is of optimum importance for even the biggest favorites to begin in the proper slots. Let's take a look at the ideal positions that respective horse teams will be pleading for when the revelation of slots occurs.

Note: All history is courtesy of KentuckyDerby.com.

Nos. 1 and 5 Are Best Bets—or Are They?

Quite literally, having the inside track translates to the best success at Churchill Downs. Having said that, the last horse to win from the No. 1 spot was Ferdinand in 1986. Before then, it was 1963, when Chateguay exploded out of the final turn to the winner's circle.

Even if one of the odds-on favorites is lined up there, recent history indicates that the road is tougher than it used to be.

The fifth post matches No. 1's top total of 12 past champions, yet only three of those have occurred in the past 16 years. Funny Cide was the last horse to do it in 2003.

This 20-horse, two-minute thrill ride in Louisville tends to lend itself to a lot of parity—regardless of what the odds say. The combination of having the proper horse in the right post position is extremely difficult to achieve, and circumstances and luck have a lot to do with it.

If a horse is truly special, he will find a way to win from anywhere, and having the inside track hasn't been as advantageous as the years have worn on.

Post No. 10 Is Flexible for All Horses

Squarely in the center of the lineup is historically the best slot for horses to triumph in the Derby. Post No. 10's nine victories is the most of any other starting position.

The fact that those in the 10th spot enter the starting gates last can be advantageous due to the several extra moments of preparation and not having to stand stationary for as prolonged of a period as other horses.

As the field emerges out of the gates, the crowd becomes more manageable toward the outside. Since No. 10 is the dividing line of the field, it has the versatility of working either outside or inside more so than any other of that horse's counterparts.

Thus, strategizing for this slot isn't quite as challenging as the others, as either a pace-setter or late-bursting horse can thrive with that sort of lateral movement.

The most recent winner at No. 10 was Giacomo, who was a 50-1 long shot back in 2005. That shows how much of a race-changer commencing the Derby in this particular place can be.

Contemporary Success Lies in No. 16

This spot has been particularly kind to renowned trainer D.W. Lukas, who has two of his four victories at Churchill Downs after commencing in 16th.

Animal Kingdom won in 2011, and that year jockey John Velazquez was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Velazquez will be aboard the prohibitive favorite for the 139th running—Todd Pletcher's Verrazano.

Though few favorites win with frequency in this spectacle, having a past winner in the saddle is an invaluable asset for Pletcher and Co.

There is a sizable gap between the 15th slot and this position, which allows for the horses on the outside of the track to have an increased amount of spacing to partially make up for starting so far wide.

That extra room to the horse's left allows them to work inside, and if a talented thoroughbred comes crashing in from the edge in the early going, it will apply serious pressure to those setting the pace. It also allows for the horse to bide his time without as much traffic before pushing for the finish.