Orb zips bullet half-mile for Travers

Kentucky Derby winner Orb, who arrived at Saratoga Race Course on August 11,

turned in a bullet four-furlong breeze over the Oklahoma training track on

Monday for Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Travers.

Breezing for the first time since his arrival at the Spa, Orb was clocked in

:47 3/5 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 with exercise rider Jennifer

Patterson aboard. The workout was the fastest of 31 at the distance on the

Oklahoma training track. 

"I thought he worked a nice, sharp half-mile," said Hall of Famer Shug

McGaughey, who trains Orb for Stuart S. Janney III and Phipps Stable.

"Everything is going the right way. His work at Fair Hill (bullet five furlongs

in :59 1/5 on August 10) was great. He shipped up here in really good order and

hasn't missed a beat."

"His stride, when he's right, is so big, and he does things so easily,"

Patterson said. "He always fools me with his times when he's right, because I

just feel like we're galloping around there. I had that feeling again this

morning, which is really nice."

After giving McGaughey his first Kentucky Derby victory, Orb finished a

non-threatening fourth in the Preakness and third in the Belmont Stakes. He

recuperated and trained at Fair Hill in Maryland from mid-June until he was

shipped to Saratoga.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas gave Will Take Charge his final preparations

for the Travers with a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.88 on the

Oklahoma training track Monday.

The three-year-old Unbridled's Song colt is coming off a runner-up finish to Palace

Malice in the Jim Dandy at 1 1/8 miles on July 27, beaten a length

despite a career-high BRIS Speed Figure of 104. He stretches out to 1 1/4 miles

for the Travers.

"He's had a good month since the Jim Dandy," Lukas said. "I'm hoping the extra

little distance is going to help. There's a lot of speed in the race, and maybe

we can use that to our advantage. He's maturing nicely."

Will Take Charge, sidelined Lukas stablemate Oxbow and Kentucky Derby winner Orb

were the only three horses to go through the spring competing in all three

Triple Crown races. Will Take Charge was eighth in the Derby, seventh in the

Preakness and 10th in the Belmont Stakes.

Prior to the Triple Crown, Will Take Charge won the Smarty Jones and

Rebel at Oaklawn Park during the winter.

"He was a little immature through the whole Triple Crown," Lukas said. "I like

what I see now, so maybe we're just finding out about him. I look for a big

effort from him."