McGaughey contemplates first Kentucky Derby victory

Trainer Shug McGaughey reflected on his Hall of Fame career

Sunday morning at Churchill Downs after checking on Kentucky Derby winner Orb at

Barn 43.

Pleased with the energy level displayed by the 2 1/2-length victor of

Saturday's classic, the Kentucky native thought of all the people along the way

who had helped him find his way to the Churchill Downs winner's circle.

"Sometimes I pinch myself and say, 'Why does this happen to

me?'" said McGaughey, noting how many talented horsemen never had the same

opportunities that he has had. "When I got to really rolling, I remember many a

day after we'd won a big race in New York, I'd be leaving and I'd think, 'How

lucky am I? Why is this happening to me?'"

McGaughey, who had started only one horse (Saarland, 10th

in 2002) for the Derby since he saddled heavily favored Easy Goer for a

disheartening second-place finish behind Sunday Silence in 1989, was still

pinching himself Sunday morning in the aftermath of Orb's Derby success.

"I said last week that I wished it had happened to me

earlier so I didn't have to worry about it anymore, but I'm not sure I believe

that now," McGaughey said. "Yesterday was quite a day and today's been quite a

day so far. It's been quite, quite a thrill."

"He got away good. I might have been a little surprised

that he was back where he was. Then, they threw the 22-and-change up there and I

knew why he was where he was. He (Rosario) got him over where he didn't lose a

lot of ground around the first turn and then he had him in a great position

going down the backside to where anything foreseeable won't get in my way," McGaughey said.

"The only other thing I said (to Rosario) was: 'When the time comes try to be

in position to give him someplace to go,' and he did that. When he started

making that move, you always wonder, 'Is he too far back.' When he got to the

quarter-pole I knew he was going to finish and he was going to be running at the

end. At that time I was feeling pretty confident that we were in a good spot and

had a good chance."

Rosario picked up the mount aboard Orb when John Velazquez,

who had ridden the son of Malibu Moon for victories in the Fountain of Youth and

Florida Derby, opted to pilot Verrazano in the Derby.

"Joel was the one I wanted and then he gets off to that

amazing start at Keeneland and comes over here on opening night he wins five

races. We were in pretty good shape. After winning five, I knew he wasn't

intimidated by Churchill Downs," McGaughey said.

"The more I'm around him the

more I'm amazed at what kind of kid he is. He's just happy with what he does.

He's got so much energy and he has so much ambition that we were tickled to

death to have him. He's got so much confidence with what he's doing. Like I told

him in the paddock, 'Just ride him with confidence.'"

"Obviously, it has," he replied when asked if it had crossed his mind. "I'm

looking forward to getting the process going again and seeing what happens and

go from there.

"He's not overcooked, and I think we have time for him to get over this race

and get to the next one. I think probably the important ones that are in there

that have gone through the same thing, except for Departing, who's had a couple

extra weeks."

KENTUCKY DERBY ODDS & ENDS

Orb is the 22nd Kentucky Derby winner to emerge from the

Florida Derby and win the Run for the Roses. He is only the fourth horse to

sweep the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. The others are

Tim Tam (1958), Spectacular Bid (1979) and Thunder Gulch (1995).

Orb is the sixth Kentucky Derby winner since 1929 with at least five weeks

between his last start and the Derby (and fifth in the last eight years): Orb

(35 days in 2013); Animal Kingdom (42 days in 2011); Mine That Bird (34 days in

2009); Big Brown (35 days in 2008); Barbaro (35 days in 2006) and Needles (42

days in 1956).

Orb was the fourth horse to win the Kentucky Derby from post position No. 15.

The others: Swale (1984), Grindstone (1996) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000). He was

the 11th winner to break from the auxiliary starting gate.

Orb was the 53rd post-time favorite to win the Kentucky Derby and first since

Big Brown in 2008.

The Kentucky Derby was contested over a "sloppy" track for the seventh time.

The other years: 1925 (Flying Ebony), 1948 (Citation), 1994 (Go for Gin), 2004

(Smarty Jones), 2009 (Mine That Bird) and 2010 (Super Saver).

Orb is the 106th Kentucky Derby winner bred in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Orb is the 52nd bay horse to win the Kentucky Derby (most).

Orb is the fourth Kentucky Derby winner whose name begins

with the letter "O" and the first since Omaha in 1935. The others are Old

Rosebud in 1914 and Omar Khayyam in 1917.