Kentucky Derby 2017 Contenders: Favorites, Lineup Odds After Post Positions Draw

The post positions have been drawn for the 2017 Kentucky Derby, as Always Dreaming and Classic Empire remain the favorites to capture glory at the Run for the Roses on Saturday.

Always Dreaming will line up on the prime fifth post on race day, while Classic Empire will stand in the tricky position at the 14th.

The horses positioned at the far end of the track are considered to carry a disadvantage for "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports."

Horse Races Now provided the post positions:

Here are the latest odds, according to Oddschecker:

Horse	Odds
Always Dreaming	6-1
Classic Empire	6-1
Irish War Cry	7-1
McCraken	11-1
Gunnevera	14-1
Practical Joke	14-1
Thunder Snow	14-1
Girvin	16-1
Gormley	16-1
Hence	20-1
Irap	20-1
Battle of Midway	25-1
State Of Honor	25-1
Tapwrit	25-1
Patch	33-1
Royal Mo	33-1
Sonneteer	33-1
J Boys Exho	40-1
Untrapped	40-1
Fast and Accurate	66-1

Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images

History has proved that horses in the gates closest to the rails succeed at Louisville's Churchill Downs.

This should give Always Dreaming an advantage at the start of the race against the other favoured names.

USA Today Sports shared statistics explaining the best post to line up against:

The team behind Classic Empire will be disappointed to have drawn their position, as only two horses since 1930 have prevailed from the gate.

However, the horse is still hotly tipped to perform after a surge of form in recent weeks.

Once race-day arrives, it will be unsurprising to see punters wage their money on Always Dreaming, with nine previous winners racing from the fifth post.

Irish War Cry has been fancied in the early run-up to the Triple Crown showpiece, but the colt's draw on the 17th post will certainly affect its odds—no winner has ever won from the position, per USA Today Sports.