Day before Preakness activity

May 17, 2013 - 8:01 PM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby winner Orb put in another gallop at Pimlico with one day to go before the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Orb galloped 1 1/4 miles Friday morning with his regular exercise rider Jenn Patterson. The colt will be ridden by Joel Rosario on Saturday.

"He took a nice little hold of Jenn, was right on with his leads and moved over the track great, so I couldn't be more pleased with what I saw," McGaughey said. Since he's gotten down here, he's really, really settled in well. He's been eating really well. I'm very pleased with his appearance and everything is on 'go.'"

Orb, owned by Stuart Janney III and Phipps Stable, is the even-money program favorite in the nine-horse field and will break from the inside post.

"I don't think it's a problem. I think he'll be fine; it's a long distance," Rosario said about starting from post 1.

Departing, 6-1 in the morning-line, galloped 1 1/2 miles at Pimlico the morning before the Preakness.

"He was very relaxed and gradually picked it up on his own and got stronger the last half-mile," trainer Al Stall Jr. said. "I wish we had taught him that, but that's him. He does it on his own."

Owned by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Departing will break from post 4 with his regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr.

"I am sure all the riders will be keeping an eye on Orb," Stall said. (Trainer) Shug (McGaughey) said he wanted a target on his back and he's sure got one. This will probably be the shortest field for a Triple Crown race and the craziest races and weird things can happen in short fields.

"I want to see Brian have a handful of horse. There are three to five of them who figure to be in front early with us being behind them."

Goldencents, trained by Doug O'Neill, had a mile gallop Friday.

"He looked great," said O'Neill, who goes for his second straight Preakness win after saddling I'll Have Another to victory last year. "He's had a terrific week. This track in the morning is almost like a training center. It's so tranquil and quiet. We enjoyed it last year, and so far, so good this year."

Partly owned by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, Goldencents is 8-1 and will be ridden by Kevin Krigger from post 2.

"He looks really, really good and I'm excited about him. I think he's going to run a big race," O'Neill noted.

Trainer Bob Baffert is back in the Triple Crown series with Govenor Charlie starting in the Preakness. Baffert had no horses in the Kentucky Derby for the first time since 2008.

"I'm a long shot and I should be a long shot," Baffert said. "I think we're all thinking about what kind of horse Orb is. Is he a super horse? He's a very good horse. When you win five in a row, you're a really good horse. The way he does it, he doesn't have to be on the lead and that's a big difference. If he was a front-running horse, then it makes it tough."

Govenor Charlie is 12-1 in the program and will start from post 8 with Martin Garcia who won the race with Lookin At Lucky for Baffert in 2010.