The 19 horse field compete for the prestigious garland of roses with Sovereignty taking the top prize. The day also saw a 14-race undercard lineup, headlined by the Kentucky Derby, completing the festivities.

Post position matters quite a bit at the Kentucky Derby. Horses in the earlier post positions have traditionally performed better than horses in the later post positions at the event. The fifth post position has resulted in the most wins at the Kentucky Derby, with 10 horses winning from that slot during the race's history.