Orb stays on target for Belmont Stakes

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Trainer Shug McGaughey likes what he sees as Kentucky Derby winner Orb prepares for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.

“I think he’s carrying his weight good, his coat’s good, he’s eating good and I think he’s training good,” he said Thursday morning. “Hopefully, all that relates to Saturday and when the time comes, we’ll be in position to make a move.

“In the Preakness, I don’t think we were in a good position. It wasn’t anybody’s fault. It was just the circumstances of the race.”

Orb ran fourth in the Preakness after spending much of the race pinned down on the fence. It was a disappointing effort, following the powerful move in the Derby where he looped the field in the slop at Churchill Downs.

Orb is the 3-1 favorite to take the final jewel of the Triple Crown, and avenge his loss to Oxbow in the Preakness. Oxbow is 5-1 on the morning line.

While Orb and Oxbow garner most of the attention, McGaughey was asked which of the other rivals could be major factors in the 11/2-mile race.

He pointed to Revolutionary, the third-place finisher in the Derby who is the 9-2 second choice. And he mentioned Freedom Child, 8-1, the dominant winner in the slop of the Peter Pan Stakes, the traditional Belmont prep.

Driven by Solar wins Belmont feature

Driven by Solar circled the field after a poor start to win the $59,000 allowance feature Thursday at Belmont Park.

The trailer after breaking slowly and tossing his head in the air, Driven by Solar kicked into gear to beat Won Great Classic by three quarters of a length as the 3-1 second choice.

Luis Saez was aboard for trainer Jamie Ness as the 7-year-old got his ninth win in 28 starts.