Here are the post positions for the 2022 Kentucky Derby originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The post positions for the 2022 Kentucky Derby at Churchhill Downs were set via a drawing on Monday afternoon.
They are as follows:
1. Mo Donegal
2. Happy Jack
3. Epicenter
4. Summer Is Tomorrow
5. Smile Happy
6. Messier
7. Crown Pride
8. Charge It
9. Tiz The Bomb
10. Zandon
11. Pioneer of Medina
12. Taiba
13. Simplification
14. Barber Road
15. White Abarrio
16. Cyberknife
17. Classic Causeway
18. Tawny Port
19. Zozos
20. Ethereal Road
Epicenter, considered one of the favorites to win the event, will be in the third starting gate. The horse in that post position has gone on to win five times in 92 all-time starts, with the most recent winner being Real Quiet in 1998.
Since the starting gate was first introduced at the Derby in 1930, the post positions that have seen the most success are No. 5 (wins in 10.9% of 92 starts), No. 10 (wins in 10.6% of 85 starts) and No. 15 (wins in 10% of 60 starts). Smile Happy (No. 5), Zandon (No. 10) and White Abarrio (No. 15) are in those positions this year. Like Epicenter, Zandon is a top contender in the 20-horse field.
Meanwhile, the 17th post position, which Classic Causeway will race out of, has never produced a Derby winner in 42 starts.
The 148th Kentucky Derby is on Saturday, with the post time set for 6:57 p.m. ET. The race will air on NBC and stream on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock.
