Kentucky Derby 2015: Weather Forecast, Post Time And Positions For Saturday's Horse Race

Dortmund Kentucky Derby 2015 — Mostly clear skies and a dry track could help favorite Dortmund claim the Kentucky Derby Saturday at Churchill Downs. Reuters

Midevening showers are expected later tonight, but only for a couple of hours, and the rest of the largely clear and sunny weather forecast leading up to Saturday should make for an exciting 141st Kentucky Derby.

Based off the Weather.com’s projected forecast for Louisville, showers are expected to fall at 40 percent precipitation between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET Thursday night. Conditions will be partially cloudy overnight, but the sun will burst through for most of Friday.

Heading into Saturday at Churchill Downs, there will be some clouds but the temperature is expected to reach a high of 77 degrees and a low of only 51.

The conditions should be nearly perfect for the 20 thoroughbreds hoping to tackle the 1 1/4-mile dirt track for the first jewel of the Triple Crown. Last year, 2.5 inches of rain fell earlier in the week but much of it dried up prior to the race. This year there is no such worry.

A drier track could make for much faster Derby, and could allow some of the contenders a shot at overthrowing heavy favorites American Pharoah and Dortmund.

Bob Baffert’s duo of three-year-old colts are the resounding favorites among odds makers and horse racing’s biggest experts, and a smooth, compact track could make things much easier for one to pull off the victory.

But the conditions do give upset minded Carpe Diem and Materiality, both under the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher, to usurp the Run for the Roses glory.

The post positions for the race were released Wednesday, and the full list can be found below.

Post Time: Saturday, 6:24 p.m. ET

Positions

1.Ocho Ocho Ocho

2.Carpe Diem

3.Materiality

4.Tencendur

5.Danzig Moon

6.Mubtaahji

7.El Kabeir

8.Dortmund

9.Bolo