be left at the post

To be unlikely to succeed in a competition from the outset. The other girls in my heat were so fast that I was left at the post. I truly thought that candidate would be left at the post. I can't believe she's been doing so well in the polls. I thought my project for the Science Fair was pretty good—until I saw everybody else's. I was left at the post pretty much immediately.

be left at the post

fail to compete. informal

The image here is of a racehorse that fails to leave the starting post along with its rivals.