The Shug McGaughey trained Orb showed on Saturday afternoon under the Twin Spires why he was the buzz horse all week at Churchill Downs, rallying in the stretch to win the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby by 2 ½ lengths.
Over $130 million was wagered on the Run for the Roses, and Orb returned his backers $12.80 for a $2 wager and now will head to Baltimore next week as the betting favorite for the $1 million Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico.
McGaughey and jockey Joel Rosario each won their first Kentucky Derby, with Rosario picking the mount back up on Orb after jockey John Velazquez elected to stick with the previously undefeated Verrazano, who weakened to finish 14th.
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"To see the race unfold the way I thought it would unfold -- they kept saying there wasn't going to be a lot of pace, but I thought there would be a lot of pace, and there was a thought at one time, 'Are we too far back?' - but when he punched the button, I knew we were going to have something to say about it. To see that horse run the way he did was an absolute thrill for me,” McGaughey said.
The early fractions were sharp with Palace Malice setting the pace, 45.33 for four furlongs and 1:09.80 for six furlongs.
The runners on or near the pace faded while Rosario came flying on Orb. The runner up Golden Soul saved ground throughout the race and angled off the rail in the final furlong and rallied for the runner up spot at 34-1, completing a $981.60 exacta.
The Todd Pletcher trained Revolutionary, who at 6-1 was the second choice in the betting, followed Golden Soul much of the trip along the rail and jockey Calvin Borel elected to stick to the inside all the way to the wire for third.
The $2 trifecta paid $6,925.60.
Watch for Triple Crown future odds this week at Sportsbook to see where Orb is sitting. Get Preakness betting picks courtesy of TurfnSport.com.
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