Kentucky Derby 2018: Entries, odds and post positions
As longtime Churchill Downs odds maker Mike Battaglia put it, there were “no curve balls” with longshots drawing the far inside and outside posts, plus the favored Justify settling in the No. 7 hole.
“I’m happy,” said Bob Baffert, who trains Justify. “I think everybody should be happy with their posts.”
Battaglia established Mendelssohn as a 5-1 second choice to Justify’s 3-1 with Arkansas Derby winner Magnum Moon the third morning line choice at 6-1.
Magnum Moon is one of four contenders trained by Todd Pletcher, with Audible, Vino Rosso and Noble Indy the others for a conditioner who won the 2017 Derby with Always Dreaming.
“I guess, ideally, we wouldn’t have three horses in the auxiliary gate, but I’ve often said you can work out good trips from bad post positions and vice versa," Pletcher said. “...I’m confident in all our jockeys. Hopefully they can all get away from the gate cleanly.”
In all, 21 horses were entered in the Derby, with Friday morning the deadline for also-eligible Blended Citizen to make the field should a current Top 20 contender defect.
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“When the defending Breeders’ Cup champion and Eclipse Award winner is the co-sixth choice in the Kentucky Derby coming off a Blue Grass win," ace clocker Gary Young said of Good Magic, "you know you have a very good Kentucky Derby.”
Added Battaglia: “This is a great one. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Post time for Derby 144 is 6:50 p.m. ET Saturday, with NBC once again broadcasting.
| Post | Horse | Trainer/Jockey | Odds |
| 1. | Firenze Fire | Servis/Lopez | 50-1 |
| 2. | Free Drop Billy | Romans/Albarado | 30-1 |
| 3. | Promises Fulfilled | Romans/Lanerie | 30-1 |
| 4. | Flameaway | Casse/Lezcano | 30-1 |
| 5. | Audible | Pletcher/Castellano | 8-1 |
| 6. | Good Magic | Brown/Jose Ortiz | 12-1 |
| 7. | Justify | Baffert/Smith | 3-1 |
| 8. | Lone Sailor | Amoss/Graham | 50-1 |
| 9. | Hofburg | Mott/Irad Ortiz Jr. | 20-1 |
| 10. | My Boy Jack | Desormeaux/Desormeaux | 30-1 |
| 11. | Bolt d'Oro | Ruis/Espinoza | 8-1 |
| 12. | Enticed | McLaughlin/Alvarado | 30-1 |
| 13. | Bravazo | Lukas/Contreras | 50-1 |
| 14. | Mendelssohn | O'Brien/Moore | 5-1 |
| 15. | Instilled Regard | Holldendorfer/Van Dyke | 50-1 |
| 16. | Magnum Moon | Pletcher/Saez | 6-1 |
| 17. | Solomini | Baffert/Prat | 30-1 |
| 18. | Vino Rosso | Pletcher/Velazquez | 12-1 |
| 19. | Noble Indy | Pletcher/Geroux | 30-1 |
| 20. | Combatant | Asmussen/Santana | 50-1 |
| AE. | Blended Citizen | O'Neill/Frey | 50-1 |