Road to the Kentucky Derby 2022: They’re at the Post!

Post Position Draw:

The post position draw is the make-it, or break-it last minute event on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Post positions are the gate numbers the horses start the race from. Depending on each individual horse’s running style, the gate they break from could cause them to win or lose. This year’s post position draw was held on Monday the 2nd of May. 

Traditionally, the first gate, otherwise known as “the one hole”, is closest to the rail. The horse that breaks from the one hole is likely to be closed in on the rail and unable to get out of traffic for the whole race. The draw starts with the post positions for the Kentucky Oaks;  a race for fillies of high class. This race is run on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby. After the Oaks draw, the Derby position draw starts. 

Positions are chosen through a “pill pull” where the horses’ entry forms are randomly selected from a stack of entries and a numbered pill is pulled simultaneously to determine which horse runs from which numbered gate. After the positions are chosen, the morning-line odds are announced. Any horse scratched before nine in the morning on Friday can have their gate position filled by an also-eligible horse.

Here’s the horses in order of their rank in the gate (1-20):

Mo Donegal:

Trainer- Todd A. Pletcher 

Jockey-Irad Ortiz Jr.

Owner- Donegal Racing 

Happy Jack:

Trainer- Doug F. O’Neill 

Jockey- Rafael Bejarano 

Owner- Calumet Farm

Epicenter:

Trainer- Steven M. Asmussen 

Jockey- Joel Rosario 

Owner- Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC.

Summer is Tomorrow:

Trainer- Bhupat Seemar

Jockey- Mickael Barzalona 

Owner- Burke, Micheal Hilary and Burke, Negar 

Smile Happy:

Trainer- Kenneth G. McPeek 

Jockey- Corey J. Lanerie 

Owner- Lucky Seven Stable 

Messier:

Trainer- Tim Yakteen 

Jockey-John R. Velazquez

Owner- Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Donavan. Catherine. Masterson, Robert E, and Schoenfarber, Jay A. 

Crown Pride:

Trainer- Koichi Shintani

Jockey-Christophe Lemarie 

Owner- Mr Teruya Yoshida 

Charge It:

Trainer-Todd A Pletcher 

Jockey- Luis Saez 

Owner- Whisper Hill Farm 

Tiz the Bomb:

Trainer- Kenneth G. McPeek 

Jockey- Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr. 

Owner- Magdalena Racing (Sheri McPeek)

Zandon;

Trainer- Chad C. Brown

Jockey-  Flavien Prat 

Owner- Jeff Drown 

Pioneer of Medina:

Trainer- Todd A. Pletcher 

Jockey- Joe Bravo 

Owner-  Sumaya U.S. Stable 

Taiba:

Trainer- Tim Yakteen

Jockey- Mike E. Smith 

Owner- Zedan Racing Stables Inc 

Simplification:

Trainer- Antonio Sano

Jockey- Jose L. Ortiz 

Owner- Tami Bobo 

Barber Road:

Trainer- John Alexander Ortiz

Jockey- Rey Gutierrez 

Owner- WSS Racing LLC

White Abarrio:

Trainer- Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 

Jockey- Tyler Gaffalione

Owner-C2 Racing stable LLC and La Milagrosa, LLC

Cyberknife:

Trainer- Brad H. Cox 

Jockey- Florent  Geroux 

Owner- Gold Square LLC

Classic Causeway:

Trainer- Brian A. Lynch 

Jockey- Julien R. Leparoux 

Owner- Kentucky West Racing LLC and Cooper, Clarke M.

Tawny Port:

Trainer- Brad H. Cox 

Jockey- Ricardo Santana, Jr. 

Owner- Peachtree Stable 

Zozos:

Trainer-  Brad H. Cox 

Jockey-Manny Franco 

Owner- Butzow, Barry and Joni 

Ethereal Road: 

Trainer-D. Wayne Lukas 

Jockey-Luis Contreras

Owner- Aaron Sones 

All images unless otherwise specified are derived from bloodhorse.com