Post positions were announced earlier today for the 2011 Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom was slotted into the eleventh position. Over the 138 year history of the Preakness Stakes (or at least as long as we’ve got recorded post positions), it appears as though only two winners have come from the 11th position.

While I don’t think there is much in the way of a statistical basis for analysis, it’s still interesting to consider the post position of Preakness winners. Over the history of the race, the most winners have come from the sixth post position (15 winners). The second most race winners have come from positions four and six. As would be expected, the outside slots have the fewest winners overall. No winners have come from the 14th slot, and a combined 11 of 105 winners (based on available post position data) have come from slots nine through thirteen.

Here is a look at Preakness winners since 1990 and their post position:

2010 – Lookin at Lucky – 7
2009 – Rachel Alexandra – 13
2008 – Big Brown – 6
2007 – Curlin – 4
2006 – Bernardini – 8
2005 – Afleet Alex – 12
2004 – Smarty Jones – 7
2003 – Funny Cide – 9
2002 – War Emblem – 8
2001 – Point Given – 11
2000 – Red Bullet – 4
1999 – Charismatic – 6
1998 – Real Quiet – 10
1997 – Silver Charm – 7
1996 – Louis Quatorze – 6
1995 – Timber Country – 7
1994 – Tabasco Cat – 1
1993 – Prairie Bayou – 3
1992 – Pine Bluff – 4
1991 – Hansel – 4
1990 – Summer Squall – 7

Here is a quick rundown of the post positions for the 14-horse race. If you’re looking to bet on a horse for this weekend based on past trends, Sway Away, Flashpoint and Midnight Interlude would seem to be the three best bets.

No. 1 Astrology
No. 2 Norman Asborjson
No. 3 King Congie
No. 4 Flashpoint
No. 5 Shackleford
No. 6 Sway Away
No. 7 Midnight Interlude
No. 8 Dance City
No. 9 Mucho Macho Man
No. 10 Dialed In
No. 11 Animal Kingdom
No. 12 Isn’t He Perfect
No. 13 Concealed Identity
No. 14 Mr. Commons