Tagged: Thoroughbred Racing

BALTIMORE -- Everything's a go for Orb.  The Kentucky Derby winner was in a playful mood the day before the Preakness, making faces for photographers between nibbles of grass outside his stall at Pimlico Race Course.

"He's really settled in well. He seems to be energetic about what he's doing so I couldn't be more pleased," trainer Shug McGaughey said on a warm and sunny Friday morning. "We're excited about giving it a whirl to see if we can get it done and go on to the next step."

BALTIMORE  -- The Preakness draw was over, and trainer Shug McGaughey listed a variety of reasons why he was OK with having Kentucky Derby winner Orb starting Saturday's race from the rail.  Then someone asked him, "If you had your choice, where would you want to be?"  Without hesitation, McGaughey responded, "The outside."

Despite getting the inside post in Wednesday's draw, Orb was made an even-money favorite to win the Preakness and keep alive his bid to become horse racing's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Storm Cat, the thoroughbred stallion who once commanded one of the highest breeding fees in North America, died Wednesday at Overbrook Farm in Lexington. He was 30.

Ric Waldman, manager of Storm Cat's stud career, said the horse was euthanized due to complications from old age. Waldman said Storm Cat appeared to have cancer but tests were not performed because they could have caused him pain.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.  -- Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has wielded his executive authority to implement a regulation allowing only government veterinarians to administer race-day drugs to horses.

FRANKFORT, Ky.  -- A proposed regulation that would allow only government veterinarians to administer race-day drugs to horses has hit a snag in Kentucky.

LEXINGTON, Ky.  -- Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags will begin his stallion career at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.