May 1- Just one day separates high expectation from exciting reality when the long-awaited 135th $2 million Kentucky Derby (Gr 1) gets underway at the historical Churchill Downs Racecourse in Louisville, and yesterday the race's 20 talented three-year-old entries were allocated starting posts.

Unlike most other horse races in the United States and around the world where starting posts are randomly drawn, in the Kentucky Derby trainers get the chance to pick their ideal posts. A regular draw is held to determine the draft order, then each trainer, or a representative thereof, chooses a post position.

Join in the Dance, a long shot trained by Todd Pletcher, was first up and ended up with post 9. Tongue firmly in cheek, Pletcher explained that the post was chosen in deference to the colt's co-owner, the NBA's Orlando Magic. 'Since Rashard Lewis's jersey number was 9 it was pretty straightforward,' he said.

As the positions continued to be snapped up, it was finally the chance of Jeff Mullins, the proud trainer of race favorite I Want Revenge. With posts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16 gone, the trainer chose post 13. 'We were going to take 14, but it got taken just before us, so we took the next best thing,' he said.

Mullins is no stranger to the excitement and exhilaration that is part and parcel of the Kentucky Derby, as this will be his fifth Derby campaign in his long and illustrious career. With one major difference, however, as this will be the first time that one of his charges starts in the great race as the favorite.

Said Mullins, 'They always say having the favorite in the Derby is the kiss of death, but it feels pretty good. I don't know if I'll ever be this fortunate again.' Should I Want Revenge romp home first come Saturday, he'll become the first runner in 77 years to win the Kentucky Derby wearing No. 13 on his saddle.

Second favorite is colt Pioneerof the Nile, trained by Bob Baffert with champion jockey Garrett Gomez aboard. Although only four posts had been chosen, the champion trainer opted for post 16. He said, 'He has never raced on dirt, so I picked 16 so he could avoid the spray of dirt from the front-runners.'

Here are the final entries and positions for the 2009 Kentucky Derby:

Post Horse Trainer Jockey Odds
1 West Side Bernie Kelly Breen Stewart Elliott 30-1
2 Musket Man Derek Ryan Eibar Coa 20-1
3 Mr. Hot Stuff Eoin Harty John Velazquez 30-1
4 Advice Todd Pletcher Rene Douglas 30-1
5 Hold Me Back Bill Mott Kent Desormeaux 15-1
6 Friesan Fire Larry Jones Gabriel Saez 5-1
7 Papa Clem Gary Stute Rafael Bejarano 20-1
8 Mine That Bird Bennie Woolley Calvin Borel 50-1
9 Join in the Dance Todd Pletcher Chris DeCarlo 50-1
10 Regal Ransom Saeed bin Suroor Alan Garcia 30-1
11 Chocolate Candy Jerry Hollendorfer Mike Smith 20-1
12 General Quarters Tom McCarthy Julien Leparoux 20-1
13 I Want Revenge Jeff Mullins Joe Talamo 3-1
14 Atomic Rain Kelly Breen Joe Bravo 50-1
15 Dunkirk Todd Pletcher Edgar Prado 4-1
16 Pioneerof the Nile Bob Baffert Garrett Gomez 4-1
17 Summer Bird Tim Ice Chris Rosier 50-1
18 Nowhere to Hide Nick Zito Shaun Bridgmohan 50-1
19 Desert Party Saeed bin Suroor Ramon Dominguez 15-1
20 Flying Private D. Wayne Lukas Robby Albarado 50-1