The Kentucky Derby is getting ready for its 139th event and a number of horses are favorites, including Rick Pitino's Goldencents as well as Orb, who is the number one favorite despite having a stall scare prior to the race.
According to the NY Daily News, Orb, the 7-2 favorite for the event on Saturday at Churchill Downs, was in the paddock and when an engine was turned on a lift near the stall, the horse kicked the back of it after getting scared, according to people who were there at the time. Trainer Shug McGaughey said the horse was fine and that there would be noting that held back the horse for Saturday.
Naomi Rdge Esq. was also "startled" by the engine, but nothing happened afterwards and she ran in the first and finished fifth at 17-1. Rick Pitino co-owns the third favorite horse in the race in Goldencents and he is hoping for another win after leading Louisville to the national title last month.
"I'm no Derby guru but I did like the way Orb worked," Baffert said. "He's a nice horse. I saw Verrazano and he looked big and strong. I think it's Verrazano, Orb and Goldencents. The rest of the horses are nice. At the end of the day the cream was right there. Those are the horses."