Before the horses head for the gate at Churchill Downs ahead of Saturday's 2017 Kentucky Derby, the post positions will need to be revealed.According to the race's official site, the draw is set for Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. ET, and fans can watch a live stream through the Kentucky Derby's official Facebook and Twitter pages.Here's a look at the 20 horses in position to compete Saturday:A post position doesn't necessarily make or break a horse's odds of winning the Derby, but it can have a significant impact.Christina Moore of America's Best Racing noted last year only three horses since 1987 have won the Derby from post Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and the trend continued at the 2016 edition, with Nyquist winning from the 13th position.On the positive end of the spectrum, a post between 15 and 20 has been extremely fruitful of late, boasting eight winners in the last 18 years.Jockey Julien Leparoux and trainer Mark E. Casse will hope Derby favorite Classic Empire receives a stroke of good luck Wednesday. According to OddsShark, the colt has 4-1 odds of coming out on top at the Run for the Roses.Classic Empire has already come out on top in two marquee events, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November and taking the Arkansas Derby on April 15.Winning the Arkansas Derby helped allay some of the concerns raised around Classic Empire after he came in third at the Holy Bull in February."He was an entirely different horse from when he ran bad down at Gulfstream," Casse said of the colt, per the Daily Racing Form'sMary Rampellini."Julien said he walked right into the gate. He was good. And he said down the backsideat Gulfstream he was never into the racethat he was pulling him. He was wanting to do something. He was hoping he would find somewhere to go."Casse's confidence in Classic Empire would be tested, though, should he get drawn in on the rail. In a 20-horse race, getting outside from one of the first three positions is extremely difficult, even for the most gifted of horses.In 2015, Carpe Diem looked to be one of the strongest in the field, winning theBlue Grass Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby before heading for Churchill Downs. After getting drawn into the second post, he finished the Kentucky Derby in 10th.Vicar's In Trouble had a similar result in 2014. While not the top favorite at the time,the horse made a name for himself in his Louisiana Derby victory. He wound up 19th at the 2014 Kentucky Derby after starting the race in the first post.No horse can win the 2017 Kentucky Derby Wednesday, but a few may end up losing it.
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