Florida Derby winner Dialed In drew a prime post position for Saturday's 137th Kentucky Derby but three other top choices didn't fare so well.
Arkansas Derby winner Archarcharch will be stuck on the rail and one-time favorite Uncle Mo is parked No. 18. Louisiana Derby and Arkansas Derby runner-up Nehro was assigned gate No. 19.
Those were among the key developments in Wednesday's post position draw for the Run for the Roses. Twenty colts and geldings were entered for the 1 1/4-mile classic under the twin spires of Churchill Downs.
After a string of upsets in prep races, there is no clear-cut favorite. Dialed In, Archarcharch, Nehro and Uncle Mo were considered at or near the top of the list. Among those, the draw clearly benefited Dialed In.
Post positions can be critical in the Derby. Last year, for example, the No. 1 slot arguably cost Looking at Lucky any chance at victory as he was cut off at the start and twice slammed into the rail before the first turn. An outside position in a field of 20 inexperienced runners can leave the horse either stuck wide into the first turn or trapped well back behind rivals and at the mercy of traffic.
"We're just going to have to make it work," said Jon Court, scheduled to ride Archarcharch from the No. 1 gate.
One of the other top contenders, Wood Memorial winner Toby's Corner, was withdrawn earlier in the week because of an injury.
Rosie Napravnik will try to become the first female jockey to win the Derby aboard Pants On Fire, starting from gate No. 7. Pants On Fire was the upset winner of the Louisiana Derby. European-trained Master of Hounds, runner-up in the UAE Derby in Dubai, will start from No. 11 under Garrett Gomez. And Calvin Borel, who has ridden the winner in three of the last four Kentucky Derbies, will ride Sunland Park Derby winner Twice the Appeal from No. 3.
The field, by post position, with jockey and Daily Racing Form morning-line odds, for the Kentucky Derby:
1. Archarcharch, Jon Court, 10-1
2. Brilliant Speed, Joel Rosario, 30-1
3. Twice the Appeal, Calvin Borel, 30-1
4. Stay Thirsty, Ramon Dominguez, 30-1
5. Decisive Moment, Kerwin Clark, 50-1
6. Comma To The Top, Patrick Valenzuela, 30-1
7. Pants On Fire, Rosie Napravnik, 30-1
8. Dialed In, Julien Leparoux, 4-1
9. Derby Kitten, Javier Castellano, 30-1
10. Twinspired, Mike Smith, 30-1
11. Master of Hounds, Garrett Gomez, 20-1
12. Santiva, Shaun Bridgmohan, 30-1
13. Mucho Macho Man, Rajiv Maragh, 12-1
14. Shackleford, Jesus Castanon, 20-1
15. Midnight Interlude, Victor Espinoza, 12-1
16. Animal Kingdom, Robby Albarado, 20-1
17. Soldat, Alan Garcia, 20-1
18. Uncle Mo, John Velazquez, 5-1
19. Nehro, Corey Nakatani, 6-1
20. Watch Me Go, Rafael Bejarano, 50-1