Kentucky Derby 2011 post positions

The 2011 Kentucky Derby will be held on May 7, with a post time of 6:24 p.m. Here are all 20 post positions for this year's race.
No. 1: Archarcharch (Jon Court)
Archarcharch is in a tough spot on the rail. It can easily be boxed in, ruining its chances of winning.
No. 2: Brilliant Speed (Joel Rosario)
Rosario will be making his second appearance in the Derby after finishing fourth a year ago with Make Music for Me.
No. 3: Twice The Appeal (Calvin Borel)
Borel might be the most well-known jockey in the sport. He has been a part of two straight Derby wins and three of four overall. He doesn't have a great horse this year and another win would be a surprise.
No. 4: Stay Thirsty (Ramon Dominguez)
With 20-1 odds, Stay Thirsty having the fourth position doesn't help or hurt. Much like Twice The Appeal, a win would be a surprise.
No. 5: Decisive Moment (Kerwin Clark)
This is another horse that is just here hoping to pull off the upset. Clark is a veteran jockey, but will be making his first Derby appearance.
No. 6: Comma to the Top (Patrick Valenzuela)
This horse won two races in late 2010 and has an experienced jockey. Valenzuela won two legs of the Triple Crown in 1989.
No. 7: Pants on Fire (Anna Napravnik)
Napravnik become a known commodity in 2005 and will race in her first Kentucky Derby. The horse won the Louisiana Derby in March but is still at 20-1 odds.
No. 8: Dialed In (Julien Leparoux)
The odds on favorite is in a great position in the eight spot. At 4-1 odds, this Nick Zito trained horse is looking to win it all.
No. 9: Derby Kitten (Javier Castellano)
Derby Kitten is the first of four straight long shots in the race.
No. 10: Twinspired (Mike Smith)
Smith won the 2005 Derby, but doesn't have as talented a horse as he did then (Giacomo).
No. 11: Master Of Hounds (Garrett Gomez)
Gomez has appeared in nine Derby's but has not finished higher than second.
No. 12: Santiva (Shaun Bridgmohan)
This Jamaican jockey has experience, but Santiva was last seen finishing ninth at the Toyota Blue Grass in April.
No. 13: Mucho Macho Man (Rajiv Maragh)
Maragh is a son of a jockey and could have a long career. The horse is at 12-1 odds and finished third at the Louisiana Derby in March. This is a good post for him to make a move.
No. 14: Shackleford (Jesus Castanon)
Castanon is making his Derby debut and has won numerous races over his career. This post is one that could work well for the horse with 12-1 odds.
No. 15: Midnight Interlude (Victor Espinoza)
The horse won it's only race of the year at the Santa Anita Derby and has a favorable post position to move towards the front.
No. 16: Animal Kingdom (Robby Albarado)
This veteran has won over 4,200 races in his career, but his horse is a long shot to win.
No. 17: Soldat (Alan Garcia)
Garcia is a third generation jockey making his second Derby appearance. At 12-1 odds, Garcia has a chance to win the big race.
*No. 18: Uncle Mo (John Velasquez)
It was announced on May 6 that Uncle Mo will not run in the Derby.
No. 19: Nehro (Corey Nakatani)
At 6-1, this horse also has the speed to get where it needs to go and will give Uncle Mo and Dialed In a run for their money.
No. 20: Watch Me Go (Rafael Bejarano)
The Peruvian will be making his Derby debut on who finished sixth in its last race in April.

Kentucky Derby 2011 favorite is Dialed In

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Dialed In, the winner of the Florida Derby, was installed Wednesday as the 4-1 early-line favorite for the 2011 Kentucky Derby. The three-year-old male foal of Horse of the Year, Mineshaft, will break from post No. 8 in the 137th Run for the Roses on Saturday.

The second choice in the race, which drew a full field of 20, is 2-year-old champion Uncle Mo, who will break from post position No. 18 in the outside auxiliary gate. Uncle Mo’s early line is 9-2, set by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.

Arkansas Derby runner-up Nehro is the third choice at 6-1 and the horse that edged him by a nose in that race, Archarcharch, is projected the co-fourth choice at 10-1, along with Santa Anita Derby winner Midnight Interlude

Twenty-two horses entered into the race on Wednesday morning. But the number of starters is limited to 20, with preference given to those horses with the highest graded-stakes earnings. That left Sway Away and Ruler on Ice on the outside looking in on Saturday.

Post time for the race is set for 6:24 p.m. Eastern time.

Here are the horses who will make the race Saturday, in post-position order with morning-line odds, trainer and jockey:

1. Archarcharch, 10-1, William Fires, Jon Court

The horse had a big spring at Oaklawn Park, winning the Southwest Stakes and the Arkansas Derby. Even though Nehro was catching him at the wire in the Arkansas Derby, his pedigree suggests stamina is his game.

2. Brilliant Speed, 30-1, Tom Albertrani, Joel Rosario

The winner of the Blue Grass Stakes, on Keeneland’s synthetic track, has been horrendous on conventional dirt.

3. Twice the Appeal, 30-1, Jeff Bonde, Calvin Borel

The presence of Borel, a master of riding the rail to victory at Churchill Downs, will draw bettors. The fact that Twice the Appeal’s only big victory came in the not-yet-prestigious Sunland Derby, will not.

4. Stay Thirsty, 20-1,Todd Pletcher, Ramon Dominquez

Fifth in the Juvenile last year and seventh in his final prep race, the Florida Derby. He should like the Derby distance, but that may not be much help.

5. Decisive Moment, 30-1,Juan Arias, Kerwin Clark

He’s been in the money in seven of eight races, with two victories. Unfortunately, neither of those victories were in graded stakes.

6. Comma to the Top, 30-1, Peter Miller, Patrick Valenzuela

The cagey veteran of the field, with six wins and two seconds in 13 starts, Comma to the Top. But will the experience overcome his lack of Derby-distance pedigree?

7. Pants on Fire, 20-1, Kelly Breen, Rosie Napravnik

The Louisiana Derby winner has experience and tactical speed but questions about his distance pedigree are on handicappers’ minds.

Kentucky Derby 2011 Contenders: Master Of Hounds Keeps It Classy

The 137th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place this Saturday, and you probably don't know anything about any of the horses. We are here to help. Today's contender is Master of Hounds.
Name: Master of Hounds. I say, you will not find a classier name find in this Derby. Welcome to Master of Hounds' estate. Please, never mind Buxley. He is simply tasting the wine to ensure it's not gone round the bend. Nothing sadder than a corked Burgundy, is there Buxley?
He lost an eye in the service. Master of Hounds would tell you how, but Her Majesty requests his silence on the matter, and his by extension, as he was brought into the Crown's confidences late one night after several bottles of that very wine. Master of Hounds is a horse of his word, and will remain so.
Description: Oh, he is not of the common clay, and certainly did not come from your plebeian American ranks to soil his hooves with the filth of Churchill Downs dirt to lose. A grandson of the illustrious Mr. Prospector, he has the burdens the elites always feel when confronted with their predecessors, as ten of Mr. Prospector's progeny of varying degrees of relation have gone on to win the Derby. (Mr. Prospector had the misfortune to run his Derby in the same year as Secretariat.) (P.S. Sorry about that. Sincerely, Cruel Fate.)
He is also, like many aristocrats, a cosmopolitan underachiever. With no major wins to his name, Master of Hounds has spent his youth toddling about the racetracks of Ireland, Dubai, and England, finishing in the top three several times but never threatening for a win. He will also be racing his first race on dirt, and you know how nobles are about actually getting their hooves dirty.
Nevertheless, his pedigree and freshly polished monocle will undoubtedly draw some significant betting come post time, and his freshly pressed tuxedos and impeccable table manners will undoubtedly draw the fillies at the post-race festivities. Remember that, peasants: even in defeat, he will still be nobility, and that is something you can never take from him.The odds are not good at the moment, but nobles are used to being singular cases. That said, more cheese and toast points, Buxley. Master of Hounds requires nourishment for maximum haughtiness.
Likes: Mustique in the winter. Richard Branson is such the gent, if a bit of a ruffian after a few drinks. The rustic but refined wines of the Italian Piedmont. The Real Housewives of Atlanta, because one must stay in touch with the common people, and he does find NeNe to be a compelling Medusa figure.