As mentioned, if you focus on the non-cushy prelims rather than cushy transitional year spots, you'll probably get one. For these spots it's mostly a numbers game -- keep interviewing until you run out of time or money, and rank everything halfway palatable. And the truth of the matter is if you are deemed good enough to land an advanced spot, you'll get something in the soap/scramble.
Programs who have to soap tend to prefer the "designated" prelim -- the guy/gal who already has something lined up for next year. That way the program knows (a) this guy/gal was already deemed resident-worthy by someplace else, So less due diligence is needed compared to the guy getting passed over everyplace, (b) he won't need any time off to interview, (c) he will make us look good in subsequent recruiting as we can show a higher placement percentage, (d) we won't feel guilty when we decide not to keep any prelims on after the year, and (e) if it's surgery and he's going into something non-surgical, this guy probably won't complain that he's not getting into the OR enough. So I think this isn't the worst situation to be in. I actually have some colleagues who (on bad advice) didn't even interview for their prelim positions until the scramble, and did fine, but I really wouldn't advise doing that.