Kentucky Derby post positions drawn, Classic Empire favored 5/3/17
Post positions were drawn for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby and Classic Empire has emerged as the new favorite.
Classic Empire now Favored
According to oddsmakers, Classic Empire is a 4/1 favorite to win at Churchill Downs this Saturday. Always Dreaming was favored earlier this week, but the colt is now 17/4 to win the Kentucky Derby. McCraken, meanwhile, is 5/1 to win the Kentucky Derby and Irish War Cry is 6/1.
Classic Empire is coming off a victory in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. He also placed third in the Grade 2 Holy Bull and won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November of last year. In seven career starts, Classic Empire has five wins, zero second-place showings, and one third-place showing.
Lookin At Lee draws No. 1 post
On Wednesday, Lookin At Lee drew the No. 1 post position for the Kentucky Derby. The No. 1 post has 87 starts in Derby history and has won eight times, which is a 9.2% winning percentage. Lookin At Lee is 20/1 to win on Saturday.
Classic Empire, meanwhile, drew the No. 14 post position, which has won just twice over 62 Derby starts. Historically the No. 5 post has had more success, so if you like Always Dreaming then you’ll like his post. The No. 5 post has won nine times in Derby history (87 starts), for a 10.3% winning percentage.
In 38 starts at the Kentucky Derby, the No. 17 post position has never produced a winner. That’s bad news for Irish War Cry, who is 6/1 to win at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The No. 17 post isn’t the only outside position that has had limited or no success winning the Derby. The No. 18, No. 19, and No. 20 post positions have only one the Derby once, respectively.
