Kentucky Derby 2018: Post Time, TV Schedule, Post Positions Info
There is nothing quite like the Kentucky Derby, and the 144th edition is set to be as enthralling as always.
Once again, the venue will beย Churchill Downs, Louisville, and the 10-furlong contest will be fast and furious.
Theย Bob Baffert-trained Justify is the lead contender to prevail in this year'sย Run for the Roses, but it is far from a foregone conclusion.
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Post positions can often be vitalโfamously no horse has ever won from Gate 17โand they are set to be drawn on Tuesday.
Here are the all the crucial details for the first leg of the Triple Crown:
Date:ย Saturday, May 5
Post Time:ย 6:34ย p.m. ET
TV Info:ย NBC
Live Stream:ย NBC Sports
Kentucky Derby Contenders (odds courtesyย ofย OddsShark)ย
Justify +300
Mendelssohn +400
Audible +650
Magnum Moon +800
Bolt dโOro +900
Good Magic +1100
Vino Rosso +1600
Hofburg +1800
Noble Indy +2000
Solomini +2200
My Boy Jack +2500
Enticed +2500
Promises Fulfilled +3300
Free Drop Billy +3300
Flameaway +3300
Restoring Hope +4000
Firenze Fire +4000
Lone Sailor +4000
Quip +4000
Combatant +4000
Reride +5000
Snapper Sinclair +5000
Bravazo +5000
Dream Baby Dream +6600
Post positions in the Derby should not make a huge amount of difference.ย
They are drawn completely at random, and the 20 horses competing are all releasedย simultaneously and should have an equal chance of winning.
But a bad draw couldย end even a hot favourite's chances before the gates open.
Ahead of last year's race,ย Christina Mooreย of America's Best Racing did some number crunching and discovered that the "conventional wisdom" that somewhere between post No. 5 and No. 15 is best may not be accurate.
She found that the trend in recent years was for winners to come, more regularly, fromย outside posts, pointing to 2016 champion Nyquistย (Gate 13), 2015's winnerย American Pharoahย (Gate 15),ย I'll Have Another (Gate 19, 2012),ย Animal Kingdom (Gate 16, 2011) andย Big Brown (Gate 20, 2008) to back up her claim.
However,ย Always Dreaming then went and won the 2017 Kentucky Derby from Gate 5.
Perhaps a more intriguing trend to consider is the fact that whenย John Velazquez rode Always Dreaming to glory last year, he became the fifth jockey in a row to steer the favourite to victory.
In the last half a decade, the bookies have got it right when it comes to winners in theย Kentucky Derby, which meansย Justify could well be the one to watch, even if he is drawn in the dreaded Gate 17.
