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Maryland's own Janney 'proud' to have Orb in Preakness

Orb has trainer Shug McGaughey 'quietly confident' (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com) Prominent Marylander Stuart Janney III dropped in on trainer Shug McGaughey at the Preakness Stakes Barn Thursday morning at Pimlico Race Course, closely monitoring the morning activities of his Kentucky Derby winner, Orb. "It's a huge sense of pride. I've been out here most mornings before the Preakness for most of my life, so it's great to bring this horse here," the Butler, Maryland, resident and chairman of Bessemer Trust Company said. "I'm proud of him." Janney and the Phipps Stable bred and campaign Orb, who captured the Derby by 2 1/2 lengths with a 17th-to-first performance. The Janney family and the Phipps family have had a longstanding history in horse ownership and association with McGaughey. "We've been doing this for the last 20 years together. Some they own entirely. Some I own entirely. I think we'd all say that we're very glad we were together at the Kentucky Derby and lucky enough to win it with a horse that we happened to own together," Janney said. "I said after the race, 'Shug was very clever to do that so that he didn't have one owner that was ecstatic and another owner who was less than ecstatic.'"

Orb produced the first Kentucky Derby success for Janney, Phipps and McGaughey.

"It was maybe a feeling of relief that it's actually happening. I thought we went to Churchill with the best horse. You never know. There are a lot of reasons that the best horse doesn't always win. Rain was one of them," Janney said. "But I did feel a huge sense of relief when he crossed the finish line and a great feeling of elation."

Orb, who has been installed as the even-money favorite for Saturday's 138th Preakness Stakes, jogged at Pimlico Thursday morning before galloping a mile under exercise rider Jenn Patterson.

"Today I just wanted to see how he was moving and how he got over the racetrack," McGaughey said. "I'm very pleased with what I saw."

The Hall of Fame trainer said he didn't lose any sleep over Orb drawing the No. 1 post position at Wednesday's draw.

"It doesn't bother me. The '1' is different here than it is at Churchill. The race starts at the three-sixteenths pole here and it's a straight shot," McGaughey said. "We'll be fine. If I got to pick it out, that wouldn't have been what I picked, but I'm not worried about it."

Noting the nine-horse field of the Preakness, McGaughey expressed full confidence in jockey Joel Rosario, who rode Orb to victory against 18 rivals at Churchill Downs.

"I think he'll get a good spot in the race with the speed outside of him. I think Joel will get him where he wants him to be and we'll take it from there. That's all you can do," McGaughey said.

"The same thing in the Derby, I thought he had him in a good place. Before he asked him to run, I began to think, 'Are you too far back?' But when he pushed the button, I knew we were going to be a factor. I didn't know if he would win, but I knew he'd be a factor. I think we'll see the same thing Saturday."

McGaughey continues to adhere to the "if it happens, it happens" attitude he maintained during Derby week.

"I think if he goes over and runs his race, I'm quietly confident that he'll be tough to beat," McGaughey said. "It's just like I was at the Derby. I was quietly confident all week that he was going to run his race and if that was good enough, it would be good enough. I feel the same this time."

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