I don't remember just when it happened, probably about 15 years ago or so when Churchill Downs began allowing owners/trainers to pick their own post positions for the Kentucky Derby. And nobody wanted the No. 1 post, the position that, through the years, has won more races at more tracks than any other, by far.

    As soon as the trainers began expressing their disdain for No. 1, the TV types picked up on it in a hurry and started to apply it to all races at all tracks. The phrases most often heard were - and are - "mired down on the inside," and "bogged down on the rail." Me? I love the rail. Day after day, I watch the races on TVG and cash many bets on the No. 1 horses who get perfect trips at distances of a mile or more, especially on the grass. Rafael Bejarano, Joel Rosario, Javier Castellano and many more come flying down the stretch to nail the pacesetter(s), so often with the big red one on the saddlecloth. In the old days, Jerry Bailey and Pat Day were masters at it. 

    The "mired" and "bogged" comments have become everyday observations on TVG these days, by all the analysts but more by the pretty young ladies, it seems. They have apparently never bothered to check the post position stats at any racetracks, or they would see how well the No. 1 post fares. Did I mention that I love the No. 1 post?

    Prior to the Pacific Classic, the well-regarded website Horse Racing Nation had a pre-race assessment of the race and the headline "Nightmare Draw" was very prominent. "Chrome must overcome an unfavorable draw," they wrote, "as well as two formidable foes in Beholder and Dortmund." It was correct to call the latter pair formidable foes, but the nightmare draw comment was absurd. Chromie proved that in a hurry, winning by a furlong in 2:00.13 for the 1 1/4 miles, not far off Candy Ride's track record of 1:59.11. But Victor Espinoza had CC in cruise control from the sixteenth pole home or he might have come close to the record.

    (Across the country, Songbird crushed the field in the Alabama, winning by seven in 2:03 flat, with the Racing Form comment "Kept to task." Scott Hazelton on TVG must have been watching a different race, saying she was "geared down" or she could have run it two minutes flat. Scott, that's 15 lengths, in case you didn't know. Chromie was geared down, Songbird was not).  

    The bettors who pounded CC at the windows must have been unaware of the nightmare draw, because he went off at 3/5. At one time he was 1/5. 

    If you aren't prone to paying attention, watch your next distance race and see how well the No. 1 horse gets position going to the first turn while the outside horses are fanned wide and wider. Not in all cases, of course, but often enough to make it a significant factor in the running of a race.

    One final thought. Watch the head-on as the horses are about to leave the gate and you just might notice nobody leaves from the No. 1 gate anymore. They move them all out - in a big field the 1 horse might start from No. 2, and in shorter fields he might go from No. 3 or 4. There are no "rail" horses anymore. Did I mention I have a great affection for the rail?  

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