Orb gave owners Stuart Janney, III and Dinny Phipps of the Phipps Stables in New York their first Kentucky Derby win, as well.
"I think it's terrific, absolutely wonderful," said Phipps. "It's really the culmination of horse racing, and I am thrilled to be here today."
The Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore, Md. in two weeks is the next leg in the Triple Crown series.
"We're set up better than anybody, and if everything is right, I can't wait to get to Preakness and do it again," said McGaughey.
At the start of the race, Palace Malice got the lead and set a fast pace, taking the first quarter-mile in :22.57. Oxbow and Verrazano were closest behind him, but as the field turned for home, this set fell back and Normandy Invasion took the lead. Going into the stretch, Orb and Golden Soul began closing from out in the center of the track. Revolutionary, under rail-rider Calvin Borel, closed from the rail as Mylute was directly opposite him on the outside. Orb won out, taking victory by 2 1/2 lengths in front of Golden Soul. A length back, Revolutionary got up by a head over Normandy Invasion for third, who got a head in front of fifth-place finisher Mylute.
