It took several minutes once the 150th Kentucky Derby was finished to officially declare a winner. Mystik Dan edged Sierra Leone by a nose in a photo finish, making the thoroughbred the first to win from Post No. 3 since Real Quiet in 1998.
Post Nos. 5 and 20 generally have the best win percentage (10.5% each) for Derby horses. But last year, neither position produced a top-five horse. Post No. 17 remains as the only regularly used position that has yet to produce a winner with only three in-the-money finishes, making it the least favorable spot. When it comes to a top-three placing, Post No. 10 is the best option, having a horse finish in-the-money during 29.5% of the 88 races the post has been used.
Before you place your bets, here’s a look at where the most winners and in-the-money horses have come from:
Post No. 1
Fastest winner: Hill Gail, 2:01 3/5 (1952)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-8-5-5
Win percentage: 8.4%
In-the-money percentage: 18.9%
Ferdinand (1986) was the last horse to win at this position, with the average placing for horses being 8.2.
Post No. 2
Fastest winner: Affirmed, 2:01 1/5 (1978)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-7-6-13
Win percentage: 7.4%
In-the-money percentage: 27.4%
Boasts the second-best rate (27.4%) of horses finishing top three among the 20 post positions. Four of the seven wins from this spot came in the 1970s: Dust Commander (1970), Cannonade (1974), Bold Forbes (1976) and Affirmed (1978). There have been no winners since.
Post No. 3
Fastest winner: Foolish Pleasure, 2:02 (1975)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-6-8-8
Win percentage: 6.3%
In-the-money percentage: 23.2%
Two of the six wins from this post came in the 1970s — 1975 (Foolish Pleasure) and 1979 (Spectacular Bid) — with Mystik Dan adding a win to the position last year. It’s the third straight year the post has had a top-three horse after Two Phil’s finished second in 2023 and Epicenter was the 2022 runner-up.
Post No. 4
Fastest winner: Decidedly, 2:00 2/5 (1962)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-5-6-4
Win percentage: 5.3%
In-the-money percentage: 15.8%
Super Saver’s 2010 Derby victory was the last for the post.
Post No. 5
Fastest winner: War Emblem, 2:01.13 (2002)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-10-8-4
Win percentage: 10.5%
In-the-money percentage: 23.2%
The winningest position with 10 champions. Four have come since 2000: War Emblem (2002), Funny Cide (2003), California Chrome (2014) and Always Dreaming (2017).
Post No. 6
Fastest winner: Iron Liege, 2:01 1/5 (1957)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-2-8-3
Win percentage: 2.1%
In-the-money percentage: 13.7%
Has the least number of wins of the first 10 posts with two but has eight second-place finishes, tied with Posts 3 and 5 for the most. Good Magic finished second in 2018 from the sixth post.
Post No. 7
Fastest winner: Northern Dancer, 2:00 (1964)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 94-8-6-6
Win percentage: 8.5%
In-the-money percentage: 21.3%
A horse has placed in the money from this post in 21.3% of the 94 races the post has been occupied. The most recent winner to come from the seventh starting post was Mandaloun in 2021.
Post No. 8
Fastest winner: Lucky Debonair, 2:01 1/5 (1965)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 94-9-5-5
Win percentage: 9.6%
In-the-money percentage: 20.2%
In 2023, Mage became the third horse to win from the eighth post in the new millennium, joining Barbaro (2006) and Mine That Bird (2009). Tacitus added a third-place finish from the spot in 2019.
Post No. 9
Fastest winner: Riva Ridge, 2:01 4/5 (1972)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 91-4-6-8
Win percentage: 4.4%
In-the-money percentage: 19.8%
Tomy Lee and Venetian Way posted back-to-back wins in 1959 and 1960 from the ninth post, which has four winners total. A horse hasn’t won from here since 1972 (Riva Ridge).
Post No. 10
Fastest winner: Secretariat, 1:59 2/5 (1973)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 88-9-6-11
Win percentage: 10.2%
In-the-money percentage: 29.5%
Secretariat, the greatest horse to win the Kentucky Derby, did so from this post 52 years ago. And four horses won in the 1980s: Genuine Risk (1980), Sunny’s Halo (1983), Spend a Buck (1985) and Sunday Silence (1989). This post owns the second-best win percentage (10.2%) behind Posts 5 and 20 and the best in-the-money percentage (29.5%).
Post No. 11
Fastest winner: Winning Colors, 2:02 1/5 (1988)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 84-2-6-4
Win percentage: 2.4%
In-the-money percentage: 14.3%
Brokers Tip (1933) and Winning Colors (1988) are the lone winners to come out of the 11th post. Forever Young finished third in 2024.
Post No. 12
Fastest winner: Kauai King, 2:02 (1966)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 80-3-3-4
Win percentage: 3.8%
In-the-money percentage: 12.5%
Angel of Empire was the last horse to get close to a win from the 12th spot, finishing third in 2023.
Post No. 13
Fastest winner: Nyquist, 2:01.31 (2016)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 78-5-5-7
Win percentage: 6.4%
In-the-money percentage: 21.8%
The unlucky number has been just that lately. Nyquist is the most recent winner, with Simplification finishing in the top five in 2022.
Post No. 14
Fastest winner: Middleground, 2:01 3/5 (1950)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 68-2-6-6
Win percentage: 2.9%
In-the-money percentage: 20.6%
The only winners to come from the 14th position were Middleground (1950) and Carry Back (1961). But a solid 20.6% of the horses to run from this post have finished in the money, including Essential Quality’s third-place showing in 2021.
Post No. 15
Fastest winner: Authentic, 2:00.61 (2020)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 63-6-2-1
Win percentage: 9.5%
In-the-money percentage: 14.3%
The new millennium has seen horses from the 15th post have some success. Authentic won the 2020 Derby. American Pharoah (2015), Orb (2013) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) also were victorious.
Post No. 16
Fastest winner: Monarchos, 1:59.97 (2001)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 52-4-3-3
Win percentage: 7.7%
In-the-money percentage: 19.2%
One of the fastest times recorded at the Derby came from this post in 2001, with Monarchos winning in 1:59.97. All four horses that have won from this post have done so in the last 30 years, including Animal Kingdom (2011), Charismatic (1999) and Thunder Gulch (1995).
Post No. 17
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 45-0-1-2
Win percentage: 0.0%
In-the-money percentage: 6.7%
Of the posts that have been used since 1930, this is the only one to not produce a winner. Forty Niner came the closest, finishing second in 1988. Don’t Get Mad placed fourth in 2005.
Post No. 18
Fastest winner: Gato Del Sol, 2:02 2/5 (1982)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 37-2-4-0
Win percentage: 5.4%
In-the-money percentage: 16.2%
Country House was only the second horse to win from the 18th post after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference — for the first time in Derby history — in 2019. Gato Del Sol was the only other winner in 1982.
Post No. 19
Fastest winner: I’ll Have Another, 2:01.83 (2012)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 31-1-1-0
Win percentage: 3.2%
In-the-money percentage: 6.5%
I’ll Have Another (2012) is the only horse to win from the 19th post, though Wicked Strong finished fourth from the position two years later. Last year, Resilience finished sixth from the post.
Post No. 20
Fastest winner: Big Brown, 2:01.82 (2008)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 19-2-0-1
Win percentage: 10.5%
In-the-money percentage: 15.8%
Before Rich Strike, Big Brown was the only horse to win from the 20th post. Practical Joke added a fifth-place finish in 2017.
Post No. 21
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 2-0-0-0
Win percentage: 0%
In-the-money percentage: 0%
Having only been used twice, in 1974 and 1985, no horses have won nor finished top three from the post, averaging a 13th-place finish.
Post No. 22
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 1-0-0-0
Win percentage: 0%
In-the-money percentage: 0%
This post has only been used once as Judger finished eighth in the 1974 Kentucky Derby.
Post No. 23
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 1-0-0-0
Win percentage: 0%
In-the-money percentage: 0%
Buck’s Bid was the only horse to run from the spot, placing seventh in the 1974 Kentucky Derby.
How to watch 2025 Kentucky Derby
Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032.
The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms.
You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock.
What time is the Kentucky Derby?
Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at [email protected] and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby post position win percentage, history: Churchill Downs
It took several minutes once the 150th Kentucky Derby was finished to officially declare a winner. Mystik Dan edged Sierra Leone by a nose in a photo finish, making the thoroughbred the first to win from Post No. 3 since Real Quiet in 1998.
Post Nos. 5 and 20 generally have the best win percentage (10.5% each) for Derby horses. But last year, neither position produced a top-five horse. Post No. 17 remains as the only regularly used position that has yet to produce a winner with only three in-the-money finishes, making it the least favorable spot. When it comes to a top-three placing, Post No. 10 is the best option, having a horse finish in-the-money during 29.5% of the 88 races the post has been used.
Before you place your bets, here’s a look at where the most winners and in-the-money horses have come from:
Post No. 1
Fastest winner: Hill Gail, 2:01 3/5 (1952)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-8-5-5
Win percentage: 8.4%
In-the-money percentage: 18.9%
Ferdinand (1986) was the last horse to win at this position, with the average placing for horses being 8.2.
Post No. 2
Fastest winner: Affirmed, 2:01 1/5 (1978)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-7-6-13
Win percentage: 7.4%
In-the-money percentage: 27.4%
Boasts the second-best rate (27.4%) of horses finishing top three among the 20 post positions. Four of the seven wins from this spot came in the 1970s: Dust Commander (1970), Cannonade (1974), Bold Forbes (1976) and Affirmed (1978). There have been no winners since.
Post No. 3
Fastest winner: Foolish Pleasure, 2:02 (1975)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-6-8-8
Win percentage: 6.3%
In-the-money percentage: 23.2%
Two of the six wins from this post came in the 1970s — 1975 (Foolish Pleasure) and 1979 (Spectacular Bid) — with Mystik Dan adding a win to the position last year. It’s the third straight year the post has had a top-three horse after Two Phil’s finished second in 2023 and Epicenter was the 2022 runner-up.
Post No. 4
Fastest winner: Decidedly, 2:00 2/5 (1962)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-5-6-4
Win percentage: 5.3%
In-the-money percentage: 15.8%
Super Saver’s 2010 Derby victory was the last for the post.
Post No. 5
Fastest winner: War Emblem, 2:01.13 (2002)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-10-8-4
Win percentage: 10.5%
In-the-money percentage: 23.2%
The winningest position with 10 champions. Four have come since 2000: War Emblem (2002), Funny Cide (2003), California Chrome (2014) and Always Dreaming (2017).
Post No. 6
Fastest winner: Iron Liege, 2:01 1/5 (1957)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 95-2-8-3
Win percentage: 2.1%
In-the-money percentage: 13.7%
Has the least number of wins of the first 10 posts with two but has eight second-place finishes, tied with Posts 3 and 5 for the most. Good Magic finished second in 2018 from the sixth post.
Post No. 7
Fastest winner: Northern Dancer, 2:00 (1964)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 94-8-6-6
Win percentage: 8.5%
In-the-money percentage: 21.3%
A horse has placed in the money from this post in 21.3% of the 94 races the post has been occupied. The most recent winner to come from the seventh starting post was Mandaloun in 2021.
Post No. 8
Fastest winner: Lucky Debonair, 2:01 1/5 (1965)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 94-9-5-5
Win percentage: 9.6%
In-the-money percentage: 20.2%
In 2023, Mage became the third horse to win from the eighth post in the new millennium, joining Barbaro (2006) and Mine That Bird (2009). Tacitus added a third-place finish from the spot in 2019.
Post No. 9
Fastest winner: Riva Ridge, 2:01 4/5 (1972)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 91-4-6-8
Win percentage: 4.4%
In-the-money percentage: 19.8%
Tomy Lee and Venetian Way posted back-to-back wins in 1959 and 1960 from the ninth post, which has four winners total. A horse hasn’t won from here since 1972 (Riva Ridge).
Post No. 10
Fastest winner: Secretariat, 1:59 2/5 (1973)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 88-9-6-11
Win percentage: 10.2%
In-the-money percentage: 29.5%
Secretariat, the greatest horse to win the Kentucky Derby, did so from this post 52 years ago. And four horses won in the 1980s: Genuine Risk (1980), Sunny’s Halo (1983), Spend a Buck (1985) and Sunday Silence (1989). This post owns the second-best win percentage (10.2%) behind Posts 5 and 20 and the best in-the-money percentage (29.5%).
Post No. 11
Fastest winner: Winning Colors, 2:02 1/5 (1988)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 84-2-6-4
Win percentage: 2.4%
In-the-money percentage: 14.3%
Brokers Tip (1933) and Winning Colors (1988) are the lone winners to come out of the 11th post. Forever Young finished third in 2024.
Post No. 12
Fastest winner: Kauai King, 2:02 (1966)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 80-3-3-4
Win percentage: 3.8%
In-the-money percentage: 12.5%
Angel of Empire was the last horse to get close to a win from the 12th spot, finishing third in 2023.
Post No. 13
Fastest winner: Nyquist, 2:01.31 (2016)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 78-5-5-7
Win percentage: 6.4%
In-the-money percentage: 21.8%
The unlucky number has been just that lately. Nyquist is the most recent winner, with Simplification finishing in the top five in 2022.
Post No. 14
Fastest winner: Middleground, 2:01 3/5 (1950)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 68-2-6-6
Win percentage: 2.9%
In-the-money percentage: 20.6%
The only winners to come from the 14th position were Middleground (1950) and Carry Back (1961). But a solid 20.6% of the horses to run from this post have finished in the money, including Essential Quality’s third-place showing in 2021.
Post No. 15
Fastest winner: Authentic, 2:00.61 (2020)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 63-6-2-1
Win percentage: 9.5%
In-the-money percentage: 14.3%
The new millennium has seen horses from the 15th post have some success. Authentic won the 2020 Derby. American Pharoah (2015), Orb (2013) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) also were victorious.
Post No. 16
Fastest winner: Monarchos, 1:59.97 (2001)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 52-4-3-3
Win percentage: 7.7%
In-the-money percentage: 19.2%
One of the fastest times recorded at the Derby came from this post in 2001, with Monarchos winning in 1:59.97. All four horses that have won from this post have done so in the last 30 years, including Animal Kingdom (2011), Charismatic (1999) and Thunder Gulch (1995).
Post No. 17
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 45-0-1-2
Win percentage: 0.0%
In-the-money percentage: 6.7%
Of the posts that have been used since 1930, this is the only one to not produce a winner. Forty Niner came the closest, finishing second in 1988. Don’t Get Mad placed fourth in 2005.
Post No. 18
Fastest winner: Gato Del Sol, 2:02 2/5 (1982)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 37-2-4-0
Win percentage: 5.4%
In-the-money percentage: 16.2%
Country House was only the second horse to win from the 18th post after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference — for the first time in Derby history — in 2019. Gato Del Sol was the only other winner in 1982.
Post No. 19
Fastest winner: I’ll Have Another, 2:01.83 (2012)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 31-1-1-0
Win percentage: 3.2%
In-the-money percentage: 6.5%
I’ll Have Another (2012) is the only horse to win from the 19th post, though Wicked Strong finished fourth from the position two years later. Last year, Resilience finished sixth from the post.
Post No. 20
Fastest winner: Big Brown, 2:01.82 (2008)
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 19-2-0-1
Win percentage: 10.5%
In-the-money percentage: 15.8%
Before Rich Strike, Big Brown was the only horse to win from the 20th post. Practical Joke added a fifth-place finish in 2017.
Post No. 21
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 2-0-0-0
Win percentage: 0%
In-the-money percentage: 0%
Having only been used twice, in 1974 and 1985, no horses have won nor finished top three from the post, averaging a 13th-place finish.
Post No. 22
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 1-0-0-0
Win percentage: 0%
In-the-money percentage: 0%
This post has only been used once as Judger finished eighth in the 1974 Kentucky Derby.
Post No. 23
Fastest winner: N/A
Record (Entries-win-place-show): 1-0-0-0
Win percentage: 0%
In-the-money percentage: 0%
Buck’s Bid was the only horse to run from the spot, placing seventh in the 1974 Kentucky Derby.
How to watch 2025 Kentucky Derby
Last May, NBC Sports announced a partnership with Churchill Downs to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032.
The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and additional NBCU platforms.
You can stream the 2025 Kentucky Derby on Fubo and Peacock.
What time is the Kentucky Derby?
Post time for the 151st Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at [email protected] and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Derby post position win percentage, history: Churchill Downs
