post positions

Question
QUESTION: what is the old and new procedures for pulling post positions for  kentucky derby, preakness and belmont. and also for regular allowance and claiming races anywhere.

thank you

ANSWER: hi--  i think that they have always pulled buttons with numbers on them out of a container that looks like a milk bottle. then they assign that number to the horse they are matching up.  thanks ED HESS   

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: i understood that the post position was drawn in the old days and then changed to letting the owner choose his post position after numbers were pulled to decide order of choosing post position.  And i wasn't sure if tracks decided to do this procedure in everyday racing schedules.

thanks

Answer
hi --- it may be that way these days, but when i was racing horses it was the way i told you. if you watch the trainers at the post position drawing on tv, you see that the guy pulls the number out of the bottle, then they walk up and put their horses name  in the number slot  that they were given.  thanks ED HESS