Exercise rider Dominic Terry takes Kentucky Derby hopeful PYRO for a workout at Churchill Downs yesterday. PYRO will be ridden by Jamaican jockey Shaun Bridgmohan in tomorrow's famous race. - AP

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (CMC):

TOP THREE-year-old colt PYRO, to be ridden by Jamaican jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, was drawn on Wednesday to run from post position nine in tomorrow's 134th Kentucky Derby at the Churchill Downs racetrack.

Bridgmohan, who rode PYRO to victory in the Louisiana Derby and the Risen Star Stakes earlier this year, will be trying to become the first Caribbean jockey to win the rich 'Run for the Roses', the opening event of the American Triple Crown series.

The post-position draw was done Wednesday evening with 20 entries listed for the US$2 million event over 1-1/4 miles.

Blue Grass Stakes

PYRO, the race favourite earlier this year, is now a 6-1 third choice in the morning line odds after a disappointing 10th-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes on polytrack (synthetic surface) on April 13.

The undefeated Florida Derby winner BIG BROWN was installed as the 3-1 morning line favourite and will race on the far outside post of 20.

Santa Anita Derby winner and 4-1 second choice COLONEL JOHN will break from post 10, which is the most successful post position with seven wins since 1970.EIGHT BELLES, the only filly in the field, will break from post five in her first race against the colts and was set at odds of 20-1.

Sharp at exercise

PYRO looked sharp at exercise this week, even too sharp for trainer Steve Asmussen. After PYRO's 49.80 seconds for a half-mile gallop on Monday, Asmussen said he wanted to see the colt relax a bit.

"If anything, he was a bit too sharp today. The Derby isn't for showing off in the middle of the race. It's for showing off after it," Asmussen said.

Bridgmohan has already tasted success this week at Churchill Downs.

He won Tuesday's US$19,000 second race over 4-1/2 furlong with MISS HEN (4-1) by four lengths in 53.29 seconds, and Wednesday's US$45,665 ninth race over 1-1/16th miles on turf with the 5-1 bet CORRUPT by a half-length.

Bridgmohan skillfully overcame traffic problems with the four-year-old colt in the home stretch and finished fast to snatch the lead near the finish, stopping the clock at one minute, 44.14.