Winning Kentucky Derby Post Positions

With a full field of 20 expected to run Saturday in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), post position figures to play a major factor…or does it?

Since 1900, posts 1 and 5 have produced the most Derby winners, although no one has won from the rail since Ferdinand in 1986. The last winner from post 5 was Funny Cide in 2003.

A pair of winners have come from the far outside post 20; the most notable was Big Brown in 2008.

After 1 and 5, that have 12 wins apiece, posts 4, 8, and 10 have produced the second most wins with 10. Giacomo broke from post 10 in 2005. Last year, Mine That Bird came from post 8. Post 4 has not produced a winner since Seattle Slew in 1977.

Here are the post positions and the number of wins since 1900:

1 – 12
2 – 9
3 – 8
4 – 10
5 – 12
6 – 6
7 – 8
8 – 10
9 – 4
10 – 10
11 – 3
12 – 3
13 – 4
14 – 2
15 – 3
16 – 3
17 – 0
18 – 1
19 – 0
20 - 2