Family and Connections: Sire - Malibu Moon, Dam -Lady Liberty; trained by Shug McGaughey III; rider Joel Rosario; owner Stuart Janney/Phipps Stable
Pros: Orb is three-for-three since debuting at three-years-old. He’s won the G2 Fountain of Youth and the G1 Florida Derby and beaten some of this year’s three-year-old standouts like Itsmyluckyday and Revolutionary. He has a stalking running style, so he’ll likely be mid-pack and ready to pounce on the leaders as the field turns for home. Since stretching out in distance, Orb has improved, so the Kentucky Derby’s 1 ¼ mile should be to his liking.
Cons: Orb’s stalking running style could help his Derby performance or hinder it. In a field of 20, post-position and traffic are going to be key players in how well he performs. If he sits mid-pack there’s a possibility he gets caught in traffic when the time comes to move.
Fun Fact: Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey’s son, Chip, is one of the America’s Best Racing’s brand ambassadors touring the country on the ABRV Tour.
Analysis: Orb turned in "the work" early Derby week. Initially afterward, those on hand to witness it took to Twitter and compared the work to the stunning Derby week works of Street Sense and Barbaro. Orb continues to improve with each race and has a very good chance of giving Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey his first Kentucky Derby win.
