The connections of Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism expressed relief after the anticipated favorite for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve drew post 8 for the $5 million classic May 3 at Churchill Downs.

A post position near the middle of the 20-horse field could leave jockey Umberto Rispoli with options aboard the Michael McCarthy-trained Curlin colt who has enough speed to secure position but whose greatest strengths are his stamina and late kick. His record is perfect in four route races.

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"The fact that he drew well is encouraging. It's positive," said Aron Wellman, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, one of the entities that owns the three-time graded stakes winner.

"The horse is doing well," Rispoli added just after the post draw. "I'm just happy, quiet, relaxed."

Post 8 has achieved an above-average win rate of 9.6% in the Derby, including Mage's victory in 2023.

With such a large field in the race, there is often a scramble for position as the field compresses to the inside of the racetrack, which can result in horses that are not in the leading cluster getting shuffled back. So, horses drawn toward the inside are often asked to show speed and establish position. A slow start can prove costly.

Reigning 2-year-old champion Citizen Bull (20-1 morning line odds) drew the inside post, a sometimes intimidating position near the rail. Having early speed, it may prove less of a disadvantage than it would for a horse without his quickness. All of his route wins, topped by a victory in the 2024 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by TAA, have come when he has gone to the early lead.

2025 Kentucky Derby post positions.

"I don't need to give instructions on what he's going to have to do," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. "He's going to have to leave there running. And the horse wants to do that anyway."

Not since Ferdinand in 1986 has a horse won from the inside post position.

Sovereignty (post 18), the winner of the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, was made the 5-1 second choice on the morning line. Last fall beneath the twin spires, he won the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes by five lengths.

Sovereignty, with Junior Alvarado to ride, is just to the outside of the Mark Casse-trained Sandman (post 17, 6-1), who has Jose Ortiz in the saddle. No horse has won from post 17 in 45 attempts, which seems a statistical aberration. Posts 16 and 18 have four wins and two wins, respectively.

Churchill Downs introduced a continuous 20-horse starting gate in 2020. Not as wide compared with the two gates Churchill Downs previously used, the continuous gate is positioned on the racetrack so as not to leave those horses on the inside or outside in an extreme position. There is more than a quarter mile run to the first turn. 

Journalism. (BENOIT photo)

Last year's Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan started from post 3 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard. This year Hernandez rides Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Burnham Square, a late runner and 12-1 shot.

"Brian knows where to be on this track and 9 is a good spot," trainer Ian Wilkes said. "You're not way down inside; you're not way outside. Brian can save some ground around the first turn and figure it out from there."

There is one Derby also-eligible, Santa Anita Derby runner-up Baeza, who is forecasted to start at 12-1 odds if he gets into the field. He could gain a starting berth if a scratch occurs before 9 a.m. ET on May 2. In which case, he would move into the field on the far outside.

Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby, race 11 on a blockbuster program Saturday at Churchill Downs, is 6:57 p.m. ET. The Derby and much of the card will be televised nationally on NBC.

Last year a crowd of more than 156,000 attended the Derby and television viewership peaked at over 20 million.

Favored Good Cheer Draws Post 11 for Friday's Kentucky Oaks

Longines Kentucky Oaks morning-line favorite Good Cheer will begin her journey from post 11 when the undefeated daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  faces an expected field of 13 other 3-year-old fillies in the 1 1/8-mile test May 2 at Churchill Downs.

The Grade 1 $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks is scheduled as the 11th race Friday with an expected post time of 5:51 p.m.

In a draw conducted after the fifth race Saturday evening at Churchill, post positions were selected for the 14 accomplished fillies. Entered off a 3 1/4-length score in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks, Godolphin homebred Good Cheer will attempt to extend her perfect record to 7-for-7 Friday for trainer Brad Cox and regular rider Luis Saez.

THE KENTUCKY OAKS

1 Early On

2 Simply Joking

3 Fondly

4 Drexel Hill

5 Quickick

6 Ballerina D’oro

7 La Cara

8 Five G

9 Tenma

10 Take Charge Milady

11 Good Cheer

12 Anna’s Promise

13 Bless the Broken

14 Quick Side

"I think most any spot would have suited her, so we were pretty relaxed about the whole thing," said Godolphin director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. "I think Post 11 will be perfect for her. She's pretty uncomplicated and straightforward."

Good Cheer is listed at 6-5 on the morning line as Cox looks for this third win in the race while Saez will try to secure his second.

The second choice on the morning-line is Grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes winner La Cara at 6-1, followed by Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes winner Ballerina d'Oro at 10-1. -- Frank Angst