Benoit PhotoJustify, the winner of the Santa Anita Derby on April 7 with Mike Smith aboard, is the early favorite to win Saturday’s 144th running of the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE — An overflow field of 21 was drawn at Churchill Downs for the 144th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby.

As expected, Bob Baffert’s lightly-raced Santa Anita Derby winner Justify was installed the favorite for the 1¼ mile route for top 3-year-olds, at odds of 3-1. The Scat Daddy colt, owned by China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners LLC, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farm, will break from Post 7 under jockey Mike Smith when the field breaks from the gate Saturday evening.

“That’s a good spot,” Baffert said following Tuesday morning’s draw. “We didn’t want to be in the one-hole and we didn’t want to be 20. Seven is fine, but he still has to break well. If he doesn’t break well, it doesn’t matter what hole he’s in.”

In addition to Justify, Baffert also has Solomini in the field. Solomini was third in the Arkansas Derby behind Magnum Moon and Quip. Solomini drew Post 17 and was labeled a 30-1 shot on the morning line. Jockey Flavien Pratt has the mount.

“He’s a horse that’s just going to fall away from there,” Baffert said. “I would’ve preferred to have seen him somewhere on the inside to save some ground, but I think everyone should be happy with their draw. I don’t see any advantage that I have or that anyone else has. I have Solomini in there to pick up the pieces in case things fall apart up front. It’s nice to have a couple more weapons.”

The European invader Mendelssohn was tagged second choice on the morning line at odds of 5-1 and will break from post 14 under jockey Ryan Moore. Mendelssohn will enter the race off a spectacular 18-length win in the UAE Derby in Dubai. A son of Scat Daddy and bred at Clarkland Farm in Kentucky, Mendelssohn won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Racetrack in California last November. Otherwise, his races have been outside the U.S.

Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher watched the Kentucky Derby draw from the perimeter of the packed room and remained emotionless when none of his four entries were called before the event took a short break after drawing 10 starters.

Magnum Moon drew Post 16 and will be ridden by jockey Luis Saez. Undefeated in four career starts, Magnum Moon impressively took the Arkansas Derby by four lengths in his last start. At odds of 6-1, Magnum Moon is the third choice on the morning line.

Florida Derby winner Audible drew Post five. At odds of 8-1, Audible will be ridden by jockey Javier Castellano. Wood Memorial winner Vino Rosso drew Post 18 and was tabbed 30-1 on the morning line.

Rounding out Pletcher’s quartet is Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy, who drew Post 19. He’ll be guided by a new rider in jockey Florent Geroux. Noble Indy has predominantly been ridden by jockey John Velazquez, who opted to ride Vino Rosso.

“This is very much a rider’s race and I’ve got four of the best riders around, which makes me feel good,” Pletcher said. “When they went through the first 10 horses and I hadn’t gotten in the mix yet, I thought maybe they’d lost my entries. But it all worked out for the best. We’ll hope for a good break for our horses and then see what happens. It figures to be a very interesting race.”

Geroux was on-hand for the post-position draw. Although he has not ridden Noble Indy in a race, he was aboard for his last work and became familiar with the horse.

“He drew the outside, so when we’re coming around the first turn, my horse has a little bit of speed, so hopefully, we can get a good position and save some ground when the time comes.”

Bolt d’Oro, runner-up in both the San Felipe Derby and Santa Anita Derby was tagged at odds of 8-1. Bolt d’Oro found early success as a 2-year-old, garnering two Grade 1 wins before finishing third to Good Magic in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall. Owned and trained by Mick Ruis, Bolt d’Oro drew Post 11 for the Derby and will be ridden by Triple Crown winning jockey Victor Espinoza.

“It’s ironic,” said Ruis. “We had 11 and Good Magic had the 6 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. We drew the same numbers. That’s kind of fun. I’m fine where we are. That’s good.”

Good Magic, trained by Chad Brown, won Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes last out. He’ll break from Post 6 under jockey Jose Ortiz and was labeled 12-1 on the morning line.

“I’m perfectly fine with the six,” Brown said. “I wouldn’t want to be any farther inside, but he’ll get to save some ground there and he’s got a really good horse to his outside in Justify that will provide him with a horse to follow into the first turn.”

Although backside chatter all week had Magnum Moon the likely second choice for the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia placed him third at odds of 6-1.

“That was hard,” Battaglia said of his decision to install Mendelssohn over Magnum Moon as the second choice in the field. “It was those two horses — and Mendelssohn has been getting a lot of play, a lot of press and everything. A lot of people like to bet Pletcher. If Magnum Moon was Pletcher’s only horse, I would have probably made him second choice, but the people that bet on Pletcher have four horses to choose.”