Kentucky Derby champ Orb coming to Pimlico

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Orb, the 2013 Kentucky Derby winner, will be arriving at Pimlico Race Course on Tuesday, May 14 for the 138th running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 18.

"I'm looking forward to getting this process going again and running in the Preakness," trainer Shug McGaughey told Pimlico officials. "I am looking forward to getting there. We had a great two weeks down here (Churchill Downs) and I am sure our time at Pimlico will be every bit as good. We are planning on bringing him Tuesday of Preakness week."

Owned by Stuart Janney III and Phipps Stable, Orb will be McGaughey's third horse in the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown. Pine Circle was fifth in 1984 to Gate Dancer and Ogden Phipps' Easy Goer finished second to Sunday Silence in 1989 two weeks after a similar result in the Run for the Roses.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Orb rallied from 16th in the 19-horse field to win by 2 1/2 lengths over 34-1 longshot Golden Soul. Revolutionary, the 6-1 second pick, finished in third with Normandy Invasion and Mylute in fourth and fifth, respectively. The 5-1 favorite covered the 1 1/4 miles on a sloppy track in 2:02.89.

Orb is unbeaten in four races this year and has posted five straight wins for carrer earnings of $2,335,850.

Five 3-year-olds are expected to start the 1 3/16-mile Preakness after running in the Kentucky Derby: Mylute (5th), Oxbow (6th), Will Take Charge (8th), Itsmyluckyday (15th) and Goldencents (17th). .

Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents will arrive at Pimlico on Monday night for the Preakness. His trainer, Doug O'Neill, won last year's Preakness with Kentucky Derby champ I'll Have Another who also came to Baltimore two days after the Run for the Roses.

"He came out of it good and we're going to do the right thing by the horse," O'Neill said. "As long as he continues to do well, we're going to try the Preakness."

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a five-time winner of the Preakness, will be bringing both of his Derby horses to Pimlico: Oxbow and Will Take Charge.

"We are all going to have to get better to beat him," Lukas said about racing against Orb. "I think the Preakness will be the biggest hurdle for him for the Triple Crown. If he gets by that, he gets to go back home to Belmont and run right out of his stall."

Lukas last won the Preakness in 1999 with Kentucky Derby champ Charismatic.

New shooters for the race are Illinois Derby winner Departing, Sunland Derby champ Govenor Charlie, Southwest Stakes runner-up Fear the Kitten and allowance winner Bellarmine