Wide-open ride: Favored Fierceness has connections, lacks a perfect post | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Fierceness, shown during a training session Monday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., will break from the No. 17 post when the 150th Kentucky Derby goes off at 5:57. p.m. Central today. No horse has ever won the race from that spot. More photos at arkansasonline.com/54derbyprep/.
(AP/Charlie Riedel) — Fierceness, shown during a training session Monday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., will break from the No. 17 post when the 150th Kentucky Derby goes off at 5:57. p.m. Central today. No horse has ever won the race from that spot. More photos at arkansasonline.com/54derbyprep/. (AP/Charlie Riedel)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Fate has not been kind to Mike Repole in the Kentucky Derby. The outspoken owner is 0 for 7, although he is perhaps best known for his two champions that never made the starting gate.

In 2011, Uncle Mo was scratched the day before the race because of a gastrointestinal infection. Last year, Forte was scratched the morning of the race due to a bruised right front foot.

Now, the self-made billionaire from Queens, N.Y., is back with Fierceness, the morning-line favorite for Saturday's 150th Derby. The bay colt was last year's 2-year-old champion and is coming off a 13 1/2-length win in the Florida Derby.

Fierceness will have to overcome a bit of Derby history: No horse has ever won out of the No.

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