Kentucky Derby 2014 Post Positions: Final Projections, Odds Payout and Post Info

Just in case you haven't brushed up on the upcoming 2014 Kentucky Derby's post positions, odds and other useful information, a last-minute recap of the week's events and forward look to Saturday's prestigious race is in order.

That's exactly what we're doing here.

This week was filled with plenty of excitement off the track.

On Wednesday, jockeys, trainers, owners, media, bettors and casual fans awaited the fates of each horse during the official draw. At the event's conclusion we all knew what the field looked like, the early odds and the complete post information—or so we thought.

Thursday brought about a significant change, as one of the race's favorites Hoppertunity was scratched due to a left foot issue. That brought Pablo Del Monte into the field and changed post positions and odds accordingly.

Although, that wasn't all.

On Friday, Pablo Del Monte's owners announced they would be pulling the horse from the race, leaving a field of just 19 instead of 20. Once again, post positions were shifted and odds were reworked.

Following the aftermath, here's how the Derby's post positions and odds will look (hopefully) as the Run for the Roses commences (h/t The Baltimore Sun):

Post	Horse	Odds
2	Vicar's In Trouble	20-1
3	Harry's Holiday	50-1
4	Uncle Sigh	30-1
5	Danza	8-1
6	California Chrome	5-2
7	Samraat	15-1
8	We Miss Artie	50-1
9	General A Rod	15-1
10	Vinceremos	30-1
11	Wildcat Red	15-1
12	Dance With Fate	20-1
13	Chitu	20-1
14	Medal Count	20-1
15	Tapiture	12-1
16	Intense Holiday	8-1
17	Commanding Curve	50-1
18	Candy Boy	15-1
19	Ride On Curlin	15-1
20	Wicked Strong	6-1

These post positions weigh heavily in determining which horses have what it takes to don a garland of roses by the race's conclusion.

Luckily for Vicar's In Trouble, the first post position will be vacant for this year's race. This horse will now begin in the second post and has a slightly better chance of making it out of the gate without being pinned against the rail.

Race favorites Danza, California Chrome and Samraat all benefit from this shift, moving outward from the rail by one position. Each of these horses will start in the fifth, sixth and seventh posts, respectively.

That's a huge advantage for the overall favorite California Chrome, as a seemingly clear path to the finish line is imminent.

Wildcat Red moves from the 10th post to the 11th. That doesn't seem like such a big move, but it is. Instead of being the last horse to pull into its stall, Wildcat Red now becomes the first, as the 11th gate is the first to load.

A long wait is in store for this horse before the race commences.

Commanding Curve has the daunting task of starting from the 17th post. This is the only position that has never yielded a winner in the history of the Kentucky Derby. Given the horse's 50-1 odds, it looks as though that streak will continue for at least another year.

Wicked Strong will start from the 20th post. This may seem like a huge disadvantage; however, if any horse can be a factor from that gate, it's this one.

Obtaining a large amount of stamina and possessing great closing speed, Wicked Strong has the potential to avoid early traffic, set a good pace and come on strong down the final stretch.

That said, let's move on to the predictions.

This isn't an exact science. We all know that. Plenty can happen over the course of the Kentucky Derby. However, based on available information, here's how the standings could look at the race's conclusion:

Finish	Horse	Post
1	California Chrome	6
2	Danza	5
3	Wicked Strong	20
4	Intense Holiday	16
5	Wildcat Red	11
6	Ride On Curlin	19
7	Tapiture	15
8	Samraat	7
9	Dance With Fate	12
10	General A Rod	9
11	Candy Boy	18
12	Medal Count	14
13	Vicar's In Trouble	2
14	Uncle Sigh	4
15	Chitu	13
16	Vinceremos	10
17	We Miss Artie	8
18	Commanding Curve	17
19	Harry's Holiday	3

California Chrome won't disappoint. This horse is a severe threat for the Triple Crown and will claim a Kentucky Derby win due to recent dominance and a great starting position.

Danza has the ability to maintain a solid pace throughout the race. He should be able to stick with California Chrome throughout the duration only to be edged out down the final furlong.

Wicked Strong will begin near the rear of the pack and slowly make up ground before coming on extremely strong down the stretch to place third.

Whether this prediction comes to fruition or not, one thing is for certain: The strong field at the 2014 Kentucky Derby will bring about many thrills and plenty of excitement for everyone watching.

Be sure you don't miss out.