Full field of 20 set for Saturday’s running of the Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ­— Carl Nafzger is back in a familiar, successful spot at the Kentucky Derby.\nThe trainer has Street Sense leaving from the No. 7 post, the same position Unbridled was in when Nafzger won the 1990 Derby. There is one difference: Unlike Unbridled, Street Sense could be the favorite by post time.\n“I was hoping to be 20-1 like Unbridled,” Nafzger said. “I don’t care what the morning line is. I’d just like to be No. 1 to the wire.”\nStreet Sense, last year’s 2-year-old champion, barely missed being the favorite by a whisker. Undefeated and unchallenged Curlin was made a slight 7-2 choice Wednesday over a 4-1 Street Sense.\nThere were no hard feelings for Nafzger. Street Sense was sensational in his final Derby drills, and the favorable single-digit post position could make a difference for a horse with only two prep races.\nStill, no Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner in 23 years has won the Derby; no 2-year-old champion has won since Spectacular Bid in 1979, stats which don’t deter Nafzger.\n“He’s been training really good,” he said. “We’re ready to run. We don’t have any excuses. We drew a nice post position and we’ve got a good selection. We’ve just got to go out there and see if we can win.”\nIf Nafzger and jockey Calvin Borel are counting on an old winning number to bring them some luck this year, Curlin has a digit on his side, too: No. 2. The imposing chestnut colt gets the nod from that post for Saturday’s race, starting in the same spot Affirmed did on his way to winning the Triple Crown in 1978 ­– the last horse to do so.\nCurlin will be ridden by Robby Albarado in a full field of 20 3-year-olds going 1 1/4 miles.\n“We don’t know how good this horse is, but he’s just been dominating,” Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia said.\nCurlin, though, faces his own obstacles. Like Street Sense, Curlin is relatively inexperienced with only three career races. Curlin didn’t compete as a 2-year-old and it’s been 125 years since Apollo won after sitting out his 2-year-old season.\nOnly the filly Regret in 1915 has won the Derby with less experience than Curlin.\nTrainer Todd Pletcher will try to end his 0-for-14 skid in the Derby with five entries: Any Given Saturday, Circular Quay, Cowtown Cat, Sam P. and Scat Daddy.\n“It’s a very difficult race to win,” he said. “We feel like we got our horses prepared well. Now we need some of the other things to go right.”\nCircular Quay was made the 8-1 co-third choice, along with Nobiz Like Shobiz, trained by Barclay Tagg, who won in 2003 with Funny Cide. Circular Quay, coming off an eight-week layoff, will start in the No. 16 post.\n“He’s a horse that’s probably going to fall a little back in the race,” Pletcher said. “It’s nice we’re placed right outside Tiago because he’s got a similar racing style.”\nWood Memorial winner Nobiz Like Shobiz will leave from the No. 12 post.\nFlorida Derby winner Scat Daddy was installed as the 10-1 fourth choice and will break from the No. 14 post.\nPletcher’s other horses were not among the favorites. Any Given Saturday was listed at 12-1; Cowtown Cat and Sam P. both 20-1.