LOUISVILLE – The last Kentucky Derby winner to come from post 1 was Ferdinand in 1986. When War of Will drew the rail Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs, trainer Mark Casse buried his head in his hands, then tried to laugh it off.
“Mark was behind me,” trainer Bob Baffert said, “and I heard a heavy gasp.”
Baffert also wasn’t thrilled with the announcement that post 17 is 0-for-40 all-time. That’s where Roadster, one of his three entries, landed. The five-time Derby winner had no complaints about the spots for Improbable (post 5) and Game Winner (post 16).