Claiborne Farm announced in a press release today that Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Orb, owned and bred by Stuart S. Janney III and Phipps Stable at Claiborne Farm, has been retired. The son of Malibu Moon will begin a new career when he enters stud duty at the farm next year. Orb’s stallion fee for 2014 has been set at $25,000. The colt, who finished eighth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (G1) in his last start, retires sound.
“The decision to retire Orb was made with mixed emotions,” said Janney. “While I believe he would have had a very successful 4-year-old campaign, and Phipps Stable and I would have loved being a part of that, Orb is a wonderful stallion prospect. We look forward to supporting him and to racing his offspring.”
“It’s exciting to have a Kentucky Derby-G1 winner coming to the farm,” said Claiborne representative Bernie Sams. “It’s even more exciting when it’s a horse that was raised here for people like Stuart Janney and the Phippses. We couldn’t be more pleased.”
Orb won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) Feb. 23 and the Florida Derby (G1) Mar. 30 on his way to a 2 ½ length victory over Golden Soul in the Kentucky Derby (G1) May 4. Two weeks later he attempted to garner the next jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes (G1), but finished fourth. He returned as the post-time favorite for the June 8 Belmont Stakes (G1) and finished third.
Orb spent time at the Fair Hill Equine Therapy Center and Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland before making his next start in the Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 28 at Saratoga Racecourse in New York. He finished third. His final race was the Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational Sept. 28. He retires with five wins and three third-place finishes in 12 starts and a career bankroll of $2,612,516.
“I was thoroughly amazed at the progress this colt made from January to the first Saturday in May,” said trainer Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III, who won his first Kentucky Derby with Orb. “I was quietly very confident on Derby day, and he proved without a doubt what kind of horse he was in a race of great magnitude. He is retiring completely sound, and while I’m sorry to see him move on, it seems like an opportune time for him to begin his next career.”
Photo: Courtesy Churchill Downs
