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2012 Kentucky Derby Post Positions

The post positions for the 138th Kentucky Derby were announced on Wednesday afternoon.

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05:  A horse is bathed in preparation for the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: A horse is bathed in preparation for the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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With a 20 horse field, post positions at the Kentucky Derby are crucial. On Wednesday afternoon, post positions for the 20 horses taking part in the 2012 Kentucky Derby were announced -- and the two favorites, Bodemeister and Union Rags, are both in good position, and will be starting out of the gate very close to each other.

The full post positions are as follows:

  1. Daddy Long Legs
  2. Optimizer
  3. Take Charge Indy
  4. Union Rags
  5. Dullahan
  6. Bodemeister
  7. Rousing Sermon
  8. Creative Cause
  9. Trinniberg
  10. Daddy Nose Best
  11. Alpha
  12. Perspective
  13. Went The Day Well
  14. Hansen
  15. Gemologist
  16. El Padrino
  17. Done Talking
  18. Sabercat
  19. I'll Have Another
  20. Liaison
While it's much better to start closer to the rail (lower numbers) than it is to start on the outside (higher numbers), but it is not impossible to win from the outside. Big Brown won the 2009 Kentucky Derby with post position No. 20, so even Liaison will have a chance on Saturday.

Both Union Rags and Bodemeister entered the day as the two favorites, listed at 9/2 odds -- and will likely remain the favorites after the post positions were announced.

Images by eflon used in background images under a Creative Commons license. Thank you.