2014 Kentucky Derby post position draw: Time and TV schedule

The post position draw for the Saturday’s Kentucky Derby will be drawn Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET, setting the 20-horse field for the 140th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The draw will be aired on NBC Sports Network and on the NBC Live Extra app. Audio of the draw will also be broadcast live on XM channel 208 and horseracingradio.net.

The draw holds competitive significance because although the race isn’t won with the drawing of post positions, significant handicaps could be assessed when the gates are assigned. No horse has ever won the Kentucky Derby running in the 17th gate—though 2012 champion I’ll Have Another won it from further outside in 2012 in the No. 19 gate—and no horse in the last 25 Derby editions has won from the Nos. 1 or 2 spot. Being pinned on either the extreme inside or extreme outside seems to be a disadvantage, and that should be considered when watching Wednesday.

California Chrome is the favorite to win the Derby as of Wednesday morning, at 9/4 odds well favoring the odds of Wicked Strong, coming in next at 7/1. California Chrome, were he to win, would be the first California-bred horse to win horse racing’s biggest race since Decidedly won in 1962.

California Chrome trainer Art Sherman has never won the Kentucky Derby as a trainer; the 77-year-old was last victorious in the Run for the Roses as an exercise rider for 1955 champion Swaps.