Orb 'fine' after last-place effort in Gold Cup

Buzz Tenney, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, reported

Sunday morning that Kentucky Derby winner Orb appeared well following his

last-place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational.

Orb, who bobbled at the start of the race, was placed three wide in fifth place

for the first six furlongs of the 1 1/4-mile race and then faded. He was beaten 22

1/4 lengths by winner Ron the Greek.

"Orb seemed to come back fine," Tenney said. "He cooled out fine,

and we put him on the van and sent him back to Fair Hill (in Maryland) last night. Really no excuses we

could see."

The Jockey Club Gold Cup was the eighth race of Orb's 2013 campaign. He opened

the year winning an allowance race on January 26 at Gulfstream Park and then

reeled off wins in the Fountain of Youth, the Florida Derby and

the Kentucky Derby.

Following that, Orb was fourth in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont

Stakes. McGaughey then moved Orb to the Fair Hill Training Center to prepare for

the Travers Stakes, and the Malibu Moon colt appeared to blossom. He was third,

beaten less than a length by winner Will Take Charge in the Travers.

"He looked great, I thought, coming out of Fair Hill," Tenney said. "Going over

(to saddle for the Jockey Club Gold Cup), I think we were all very, very

confident, and it was disappointing, to say the least. We scoped him after the

race yesterday, and he was clean. So far, that's all that's been done."

Tenney also said Hymn Book, third in the Kelso on Saturday, came back

in good order. Hymn Book was beaten by less than a length in the race, won by Graydar.

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