Fierceness, Kentucky Derby favorite, among losers in post position draw. See the winners

If you thought drawing the dreaded No. 17 post position for the Kentucky Derby would faze Fierceness owner Mike Repole, think again.

“I was one-for-a-million in my life,” Repole said. “0 for 44 is way better odds than one-in-a-million. I’m in. That’s great.”

Despite getting the 0-for-a-lifetime No. 17 post, Florida Derby winner Fierceness was named the 5-2 morning-line favorite during Saturday night’s draw for the 150th running of the $5 million, Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

In 44 tries, the No. 17 post never has produced a Kentucky Derby winner. Forty Niner came the closest, finishing second to Winning Colors in 1988.

Since the introduction of the starting gate in 1930, the No. 17 spot is the only one of 20 that hasn’t produced a Derby winner.

“Let’s be the first of many things,” said Repole, the multibillionaire who created and sold two beverage companies (Glaceau and BodyArmor) to make his fortune. “I’ve never been afraid to try to be the first in anything I’ve done in life. Why would a 17 post scare me, you know?”

A full field of 20 — plus two also-eligibles — was entered for the Kentucky Derby, which has a post time of approximately 6:57 p.m. Saturday and will be televised live by NBC.

Here’s a look at the winners and losers from Saturday’s draw:

Winners

Brad Cox’s horses — With Catching Freedom at No. 4, Just a Touch at No. 8 and Encino at No. 9, the Louisville trainer avoided the extreme inside and outside posts.

Just a Touch and Encino both have early speed and figure to be near the front early.

“(Just a Touch jockey Florent Geroux) has already texted me that he likes the post,” Cox said. “Obviously, we’re looking at Fierceness (No. 17) and (No. 12) Track Phantom from the outside of us. I don’t know what the plan will be with Dornoch from the 1 hole. They might have to be aggressive with him.”

Cox said the post position wasn’t as important for Catching Freedom, who figures to be closing late.

“He’ll probably be in the second half of the field going into the first turn,” Cox said.

Catalytic — The No. 5 post has produced the most winners — 10 — and the Florida Derby runner-up took the lucky spot.

"We can't complain about the draw," trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. "We just have to get away clean, and after that it's up to (jockey Jose Ortiz) to give him a good trip and for him to run the race of his life."

Losers

The favorites — Along with Fierceness at No. 17, No. 2 betting choice Sierra Leone (3-1) drew the undesirable No. 2 spot.

However, trainer Chad Brown said the No. 2 spot wasn't so bad for his late-running colt.

"He's just a touch farther in than I wanted, but he didn't get the 1 hole, so I'm OK with that," Brown said. "With this particular horse, what I didn't want was the 19 or 20. In fact, it would have been hard for him to drop over without losing ground, significant ground around the first turn."

The last winner from the No. 2 hole was Affirmed in 1978.

Dornoch — The Danny Gargan trainee has plenty of early speed but likely will have to go early from the No. 1 hole.

"I don't think it's the kiss of death," Gargan said. "There's no speed on our outside, so hopefully he'll break running and we'll put him on the front end and see how it goes. We planned on keeping his face clean. Now we'll keep it real clean."

The last winner from the No. 1 spot was Ferdinand in 1986.

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Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Fierceness, Sierra Leone 2 of Kentucky Derby post position draw losers