9 Fast Facts To Know About The 2018 Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby has 144 years worth of history behind it, a history that can help you decide which horse to bet on. While researching pedigree, track conditions, and race results is important, there are less scientific - and a lot more interesting - tidbits that you can also use to your advantage.
Here are 9 facts about the Kentucky Derby from KentuckyDerbyPreview.com that might surprise you.
1. Only one horse has won the Kentucky Derby without any starts as a two-year-old: Apollo in 1882. Justify may be the favorite to win the race with 3/1 odds, but will he be able to break the Curse of Apollo? Magnum Moon is the other horse in the field that will also be looking to overcome history.
2. In 2003, Funny Cide became the first (and only) Kentucky Derby winner that was bred in New York. Audible is the only New York native in the field, with 8/1 odds to win the run.
3. Post position No. 5 has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners. There have been 10 winners over the last 143 years. The second most-winningest post position is No. 10, which has had 9 winners. This bodes well for Audible who has the No. 5 post in the 2018 Run for the Roses. Always Dreaming won last year from the same position, as did California Chrome in 2014.
4. On the other hand, rail positions are the least-winningest in the Kentucky Derby. A horse has not won from the No. 1 position since Ferdinand in 1986 – 32 years ago. It’s been even longer since a horse took the Kentucky Derby from the No. 2 position, with Affirmed winning in 1978.
Firenze Fire drew No. 1 in this year’s race and is a longshot with 50/1 odds. Free Drop Billy will ride from the No. 2 post and has 30/1 odds to win the 2018 Kentucky Derby.
5. The owner that holds the record for most Kentucky Derby wins is Calumet Farm with 8 wins. Two of those horses went on to become Triple Crown winners - Whirlaway in 1941 and Citation in 1948. Calumet Farm has one entrant this year, with 50/1 for Bravazo to win the 2018 Kentucky Derby.
6. There has not been Canadian Kentucky Derby winner in 35 years. The last Canadian-bred horse to win the first jewel of the Triple Crown was Sunny’s Halo in 1983. Ontario-born Flameaway has 30/1 Kentucky Derby odds.
7. Thoroughbreds whose first initial is “E” have a lowly 4.1% win rate and have not had any wins since 1918. Enticed is the only 2018 Kentucky Derby contender that this applies to, and he has 30/1 odds to win.
8. There has never been a Kentucky Derby winner to exit from post No. 17, which is where Solomini will begin his run. The Baffert-trained horse has 22/1 odds to win the Derby.
9. Kentucky Derby Post Positions & Odds
Finally, you will want to know the post position for each horse and their odds to win the Kentucky Derby. Here are the updated betting lines as of May 4:
| Post | Horse | Odds |
| 1 | Firenze Fire | 50/1 |
| 2 | Free Drop Billy | 30/1 |
| 3 | Promises Fulfilled | 30/1 |
| 4 | Flameaway | 30/1 |
| 5 | Audible | 8/1 |
| 6 | Good Magic | 12/1 |
| 7 | Justify | 3/1 |
| 8 | Lone Sailor | 50/1 |
| 9 | Hofburg | 20/1 |
| 10 | My Boy Jack | 30/1 |
| 11 | Bolt d'Oro | 8/1 |
| 12 | Enticed | 30/1 |
| 13 | Bravazo | 50/1 |
| 14 | Mendelssohn | 5/1 |
| 15 | Instilled Regard | 50/1 |
| 16 | Magnum Moon | 6/1 |
| 17 | Solomini | 30/1 |
| 18 | Vino Rosso | 12/1 |
| 19 | Noble Indy | 30/1 |
| 20 | Combatant | 50/1 |
| Race Day: |
| May 5, 2018 |
| Post Time: |
| 6:46pm EST |
| Horse Track: |
| Churchill Downs |
| Track Location: |
| Louisville, Kentucky |
| Track Length: |
| 1.25 Miles |