LOUISVILLE — When it comes to the Kentucky Derby, post position isn’t destiny — but it’s still pretty important.
When the posts were drawn for Kentucky Derby No. 151 Saturday night, trainers were rooting for middle of the field. But do the numbers back up their preferences?
The Derby hasn’t always used a starting gate. Before 1930, horses walked up to a line drawn on the track. From 1930 to 1941, they broke from a manually-operated gate. In 1942, the first electronically operated 14-stall gate was used. A six-stall auxiliary gate was used if more horses entered…