KENTUCKY DERBY: FAVORITE SLOTTED AT NO. 2.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI

Sports Editor 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Curlin got the nod over Street Sense from the Churchill Downs oddsmaker Wednesday even though the morning line favorite's post position might give some bettors pause.

Bad luck in a random draw left Curlin's handlers to select 16th in the Derby's "draft" of starting slots, and by then they had to choose among the inside two and outside three posts. Trainer Steve Asmussen walked to the board and hung Curlin's placard on the No. 2 hook.

The undefeated colt scored his 10 1/2-length Arkansas Derby victory from the No. 2 post. But he and jockey Robby Albarado could face traffic along the inside as the 20-horse field charges toward the first turn. Last year, No. 2 Steppenwolfer was bumped after the start by No. 3 Keyed Entry and had to rally from 18th to finish third to Barbaro.

The most recent horse to win the Derby from the second post was Triple Crown winner Affirmed in 1978. Asmussen said after the post-position draft in downtown Louisville that No.2 was "excellent" considering the limited choice.

"With his (early) speed, I'm confident he can secure good position," said Asmussen, whose other entrant, Zanjero, landed post 3 with the 10th pick Wednesday.

"In a perfect world, we'd have been a little further outside. But he's fine where he is."

Albarado likely will try to tuck in behind speed horses from the middle posts (Hard Spun, Teuflesberg, Nobiz Like Shobiz) and outside (Stormello) and hope for room to make his move on the turn into the stretch.

Curlin was made a 7-2 favorite, with 2-year-old champion Street Sense 4-1 and Circular Quay and Nobiz Like Shobiz next at 8-1.

California horses got little respect, with Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago and Great Hunter listed at 15-1, Sam P. at 20-1, Liquidity and Stormello at 30-1, and Bwana Bull one of the Derby's longshots at 50-1.

Great Hunter had the second-to-last pick and ended up with the far-outside No. 20 post, from which the last winner was Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.

But Great Hunter trainer Doug O'Neill also put the best possible spin on it: "Great Hunter's best races have been from off the pace. He won't have to stand in the gate too long, and he won't get bumped from the outside."

Street Sense trainer Carl Nafzger chose sixth and got post 7, the one he said he'd wanted, even if his reason was a little off.

"That's a good selection. That's where Unbridled was," Nafzger said of his 1990 Kentucky Derby winner. But Unbridled actually started from post 8. He was horse No. 7 in the Derby because, under the old wagering rules, horses with common connections were coupled.

Churchill Downs' Mike Battaglia assigned Curlin the lowest odds even though some handicappers think the public will favor 2-year-old champion Street Sense, with Nafzger's Derby history, over Curlin, whose idleness as a 2-year-old and only three career starts defy Derby-winning profiles.

"He's undefeated," Battaglia said of Curlin. "We don't know how good this colt is."

The maximum 20 horses were entered for the third year in a row, the longest streak of such big fields since 1981-84.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

KENTUCKY DERBY LINEUP