Kentucky Derby 2018 Lineup: Post Positions for All Entries of 144th Race

Kentucky Derby favorite Justify is in an ideal position to take the first Triple Crown event of 2018 after Tuesday's post draw. 

Justify, who most recently won the Santa Anita Derby, starts from post No. 7, which is a perfect spot on the inside half of the 20 starting positions. 

The favorite trained by Bob Baffert wasn't the only horse to gain a favorable starting position. Bolt d'Oro is assigned to post No. 11, while Audible is two places to the left of Justify in post No. 5. 

WDRB's Eric Crawford provided a list of the post positions, as well as the latest odds for each horse after Tuesday's drawing: 

Justify is aiming to become the second derby-winning horse in four years for Baffert, who went to the winner's circle with American Pharoah in 2015. 

Two of Baffert's three Kentucky Derby winners came from inside post positions. Real Quiet in 1998 started in post No. 3 and War Emblem came out of post No. 5 in 1998. American Pharoah was assigned No. 15 in the draw in 2015. 

Justify has impressive bloodlines as well, as the horse's father is Scat Daddy, who won four major races in 2006 and 2007, with the 2007 Florida Derby being the most notable of the quartet. 

While there seems to be plenty going in favor of Justify, there's one factor going against him entering the race. 

The so-called "Curse of Apollo" hasn't been broken since 1882, when Apollo became the only horse to win at Churchill Downs after not racing as a two-year-old. 

Baffert, who broke the Triple Crown curse with American Pharoah in 2015, knows at some point a horse like Justify is going to win the biggest horse race on American soil, as he noted to Dan Wolken of USA Today. 

"It'll be broken whether it's this year or whatever. I think it's changed. In the modern day we don't get in a rush with these horses," Baffert said. "The Apollo curse is something I don't even think about."

Justify is looking to become the sixth consecutive favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, per ESPN Stats and Info: 

Todd Pletcher, who won his second derby as a trainer in 2017 with Always Dreaming, is training two of the other favorites to win the race, Magnum Moon and Audible. 

Audible's best victory came at the Florida Derby in March ahead of Hofburg, who is a horse to keep an eye on at 20-1. 

Magnum Moon, who like Justify never raced as a two-year-old horse, is on the outside in position No. 16. Although the starting spot for Magnum Moon is difficult, he looked strong in the Arkansas Derby victory that moved him into forefront of horses to watch. 

Other horses to keep an eye on this week are Mendelssohn, who won the UAE Derby in March and the 2017 Breeders Cup juvenile turf race, and Bolt d'Oro, who has four career victories and a second-place finish behind Justify at the Santa Anita Derby. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.