On Saturday May 18th the second leg of the Triple Crown will take place at Pimlico Park in Baltimore for the 138th Preakness Stakes. The favorite for the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes is Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who checks in at Even Money Odds to win the race.
Orb (Even): Record: 5-0-1 in 8 Races. Trainer: "Shug" McGaughey. Jockey: Joel Rosario. Sire: Malibu Moon. Dam: Lady Liberty.
After Orb scored his decisive victory in the Kentucky Derby and was hailed as a bright new star of racing, many handicappers had a reason for skepticism. They had seen this scenario before. The Kentucky Derby often unfolds in a way that gives an advantage to horses rallying from far behind. The winner comes to Pimlico amid acclaim, but the Preakness Stakes isn’t run like the Derby and it doesn’t favor his style.
He did America’s greatest horse race, the Kentucky Derby, and did so with authority, blowing past the field on the final turn and through the stretch with an eye-catching rally. The performance was quick, too, earning him a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. No one-race wonder, he has won five straight, including three consecutive stakes. Interestingly, in taking the Fountain of Youth, The Florida Derby, and then the Derby, he became just the fourth horse to sweep that trio of prestigious races, with the other horses being Tim Tam in 1958, Spectacular Bid in 1979, and Thunder Gulch in 1995.
Given the short turnaround and because of how quickly he ran in the Derby and how wide he raced, supporters of the bounce theory may envision
regression in the Preakness. A deep closer, he had a favorable pace setup in the Derby from behind a half-mile in 45.33 seconds and six furlongs in 1:09.80. He might not enjoy such a prime setup in the Preakness, although as he showed in winning a slow-paced Florida Derby, he can still rally effectively from behind modest early splits.
If Orb is going to win, we need to see him deliver a truly great effort. He could do so. His Derby victory, though it was accomplished under favorable circumstances, was certainly no fluke. And he may continue to improve. His trainer, Shug McGaughey, takes his time developing horses. In 1989, his great colt Easy Goer improved sharply from the Derby to the Preakness (which he lost by a nose) and then improved even more to win the Belmont Stakes by eight lengths. If Orb is on a similar trajectory, the sport may have plenty of excitement in the coming weeks.
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Preakness Stakes Betting Preview: Orb
What horse racing bettors need to know about betting Orb in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday (5/18/13) with insight from Dave Tuley and Pregame.com's Marco D'Angelo.