While it’s been suggested that Orb isn’t well suited for the Preakness Stakes because of its shorter length, his past would suggest otherwise. Back on March 30, the colt ran to a victorious finish in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. That race was a nine-furlong affair on dirt, so the 9 1/2-furlong Preakness Stakes could very well be a walk in the park for this colt.

Not to mention, Orb’s also won five races in a row and oddsmakers have him pegged as the No. 1 contender at even odds.

Orb’s biggest threat, however, could be Itsmyluckyday. Currently at 9-1 odds, this colt has only finished out of the top three on three occasions in 11 career starts. While he faltered to a 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, the thoroughbred has run very well in other major stakes races like the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and the Grade 1 Florida Derby. He finished first and second, respectively, in those races.

Thoroughbreds like Will Take Charge, Goldencents and Govenor Charlie are also slated to occupy the gates at Pimlico Race Course and should provide ample competition for Orb.

At this year’s Derby, Will Take Charge failed to make an impact, running to an eighth-place finish. However, he’s shown the ability to run with the best of them and has found a way to win three of his eight career starts, including his final Derby prep race, the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes. While his 12-1 odds to win the Preakness make him a midrange long shot, Will Take Charge could very well stun the horseracing world if he breaks well.

Similar to Will Take Charge, Goldencents hopes to break well as he enters the Preakness Stakes hoping to atone for his dismal 17th-place finish in the Derby. He runs very well in races of a shorter distance and proved as much in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, which he won by 1 1/4 lengths. Oddsmakers currently have the colt set at 7-1, and with four victories in seven starts, this colt is one to watch on race day.

Another colt to keep an eye on is Govenor Charlie. He currently sits at odds of 10-1, more than likely due to the fact that he’s only run three races in his career. However, this colt’s won two of those starts and finished second in the other. With over $400,000 in career earnings, this colt sure knows how to make the most of every race he runs.

If Orb wants to beat the competition and break the 35-year Triple Crown drought, it’s time for him to let it ride.

This post is presented by Bovada

Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Preakness Stakes

The Patriots quarterback had a reason (yet unconfirmed) to be excited on Saturday evening after Orb won the Kentucky Derby. As the three-year-old horse’s connections were filtering out of their box while celebrating, Brady filed in with a small entourage to get in on the excitement.

Brady was joined by Tedy Bruschi and Dan Koppen in the celebration. Wes Welker was also in Louisville for the Derby, and that may just be the former New England wide receiver jumping on Brady and Bruschi at the end of the video. Bruschi found the feeling familiar, yelling “You just won the Super Bowl!” at one point.

There’s a rumor out there that Brady may have had some money on Orb. That would explain the overt glee expressed by Brady and his buddies after the big win.

Rumor at the track is Tom Brady put $4700 on Orb to win

—
Smart Football (@smartfootball) May 04, 2013

Click here to check out Brady and other celebrities at Churchill Downs>>

Brady was offered to join the connections in the winner’s circle, but declined. Check out Brady and his former teammates celebrating Orb’s victory in the video below (there may be some barely-audible NSFW language, but it’s so faint we can’t really tell).

Photo of the Day

That’s a nice catch by former Red Sox Josh Reddick.

Tweet of the Day

This seems to be the consensus after another disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight.

We need another Tyson, ya'll.

—
  (@RumfordJohnny) May 05, 2013

Video of the Day

This video should serve as a lesson to always hustle — even in the infield.

Heavy rollers went over the dirt surface to pack the top layer and prevent water from seeping into the base, but it still made for a difficult running surface. A colt named Orb prevailed over his opponents and the less-than-ideal track conditions to win the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Orb entered the race as a co-favorite with 6-1 odds to win it all.  Orb was paid $1,439,800 as the winner, and was ridden by jockey Joel Rosario, who also won the Dubai World Cup in March aboard Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner.

Orb was trained by Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who earned his first Derby win.

Golden Soul finished second while Revolutionary, the other co-favorite, was third

Photo via Twitter/@BH_CNovak

Tom Brady

Brady isn’t the only football star down at Churchill Downs this weekend. Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Matt Schaub and Steven Jackson were also spotted in Louisville for the festivities. This is the weekend to dress adventurously and take in the biggest race of the year.

Brady and his football buddies weren’t the only stars down in Kentucky this weekend. Athletes from all sports were down in Louisville enjoying themselves, including Ken Griffey Jr., Julius Erving and the University of Kentucky’s own Nerlens Noel.

Musical artists Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Kid Rock were also spotted walking the red carpet, along with actors Emilio Estevez and Jennifer Tilly.

Click here to see the biggest stars at the Kentucky Derby>>

Tom Brady photo via Twitter/@TimFindleyJr
Miranda Lambert photo via Twitter/@tkonz

USA Today reports that Churchill Downs will be serving up very special mint juleps that will cost $1,000 apiece. The high-cost drinks have actually been around for the last seven years, and over that time have generated more than $354,000 for various charities. This year’s beneficiary is Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center.

The mint juleps are being offered by bourbon maker Woodford Reserve, and certain variations will cost you even more than the $1,000 base price tag. However, for such a steep mint (lame pun very much intended), you do get a little bit more than just spearmint leaves, bourbon, sugar and water. The drink is served in a sterling silver cup with a fine Derby-themed engraving, a “gold-plated garland of roses and a gold-plated straw.”

If you plan to be in Louisville on Derby weekend and have a spare $1,000 to spend, you can actually purchase your drink ahead of time at woodfordreservemintjulep.com. Woodford Reserving is offering up 79 drinks, plus nine drinks with more gold and one-fifth carat of diamonds for auction, online, and any unsold can be bought at the track.

Derby officials estimate that roughly 120,000 mint juleps will be purchased at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Check out a photo of one of the $2,000 “Legendary Cups” up for auction in the image below.

Photo via Twitter/@NewsDanielle

This year’s Derby will be run on Saturday, and to spice up its coverage, NBC is calling in practically everyone from the network to get involved. In what it calls a “Big Event Strategy” in a press release, NBC promises it will be “focusing on the food, fashion, celebrity and entertainment spectacle that is the Kentucky Derby.”

What that means, precisely, is that many of its programs will feature Derby-themed segments. More than that, however, NBCUniversal theme parks will blast Derby commercials on their jumbotrons, and even the iVillage women’s digital brand will feature “coverage all week of party planning, fashion, celebrity and style of the Derby.”

What will probably be most entertaining to viewers, however, will be the comedy stylings of the Saturday Night Live cast and Jimmy Fallon.

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon will feature two segments during his Friday night show with a Derby twist, including his “Puppy Predictor” running gag and a faux interview with a Derby horse. SNL, meanwhile, will have this week’s host, actor Zach Galifianakis, and the rest of the cast contribute content to be aired during the race coverage.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Churchill Downs

The Kentucky Derby is going down this Saturday, which of course means it’s the perfect time to reread Hunter S. Thompson‘s “The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved.” Some say it was the moment when gonzo journalism was invented, and either way it’s widely regarded as a classic essay.

In honor of both the upcoming Derby and Thompson, Kentucky for Kentucky, which describes itself as “believers, promoters, and producers for the great Commonwealth of Kentucky,” designed and printed a poster which attempts to capture the essence of the narrative. The very limited quantity of the posters were available online — and now appear to be sold out — and at pop-up stores in the Kentucky area.

If you can get your hands on one, well done. Check out an image and video featuring the poster below.

Photo via Twitter/@KentuckyPress

On Monday night, Robert Griffin III led his Washington Redskins to a 17-16 win over the New York Giants, moving the team to 6-6 and keeping their faint playoff hopes alive for at least another week. In the game, Griffin went 13-for-21 passing for 163 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, adding 72 rushing yards on five carries, as well.

Despite the Chiefs’ middling ways, Griffin has become one of the biggest sensations in the NFL in years, so suffice to say he’s getting pretty popular in the Capital Beltway.

On Tuesday, Griffin hoped to lend through osmosis some of his athletic talents to the lowly Washington Wizards, who came into their game against the Miami Heat stuck at 1-13 on the season. Taking on a supremely talented team like the Heat, most probably didn’t expect that second win to come on Tuesday, but perhaps Griffin brought some of Monday night’s magic with him.

With Griffin in attendance courtside, the Wizards disposed of the Heat 105-101 despite LeBron James‘ triple-double. Griffin apparently arrived a bit after tipoff, but was announced on the video board some time during the first quarter as the P.A. played “Hail to the Redskins.”

Not that Griffin was necessarily taking sides. For the record, he gave hugs to both Washington’s John Wall and James. Check out a picture of Griffin at the game below.

Photo of the Night

Apparently when the Red Sox signed Shane Victorino, he just so happened to be already hanging out with Clay Buchholz in Maui. We kid you not.

Photo via Twitter/Lindsay Clubine

Quote of the Night

“The bird was in front of him and I was about 50 yards up on a hill. He got the bird up and lost track of where I was. He pulled the trigger and was like, ‘Uh, oh.’”
–Cubs manager Dale Sveum explaining how he got shot by Hall of Famer Robin Yount

Tweet of the Night

Yes, the Red Sox are currently leading baseball with a leadership index of 17.9. And also yes, I made that number and stat up.

When is Baseball Reference’s clubhouse chemistry metric coming out? The Red Sox are front runners to lead the league, right?

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyedNESN) December 4, 2012

Video of the Night

Rudolph may have a red nose, but what he really needs for Christmas is GPS.

A four-year-old chestnut filly named Pedroia won the third race at Suffolk Downs on
Wednesday, capturing the victory by a margin 9 3/4 lengths under the guidance of jockey Hector Ramos.

The horse, trained by Arthur Duffy, Jr., is named after Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, but he has no affiliation with it.

Pedroia was a heavy favorite heading into the race, where she ran the one mile and 70 yard
distance in 1:47.60, returning $3.40, 2.20 and 2.20 in beating her seven opponents. It was also a good day for Ramos, who rode three winners, albeit those with less interesting names.

It might be a little confusing for Red Sox fans to refer to Pedroia as "her," but the bottom line is that the name just seems to breed winners. Anytime someone named Pedroia is winning, though, you've got to think it's a good day for Red Sox Nation.

Thumbnail photo via Facebook/Suffolk Downs

Photo of the Night

Preseason football, ladies and gentlemen!

Photo via Twitter/@jeffphowe

Quote of the Night

"You have the AFC East, and we're freaking in the bottom of the map, and the directions don't make any sense where the teams actually are."
–Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, confused by the NFL's divisions

Tweet of the Night

Awww…

That awkward moment when you realize you're not on Madden13 and have to create yourself…

— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) August 29, 2012

Video of the Night

As long as there's no Dane Cook, these MLB postseason promos can go wild.

New England area equestrians gathered recently in order to show off their horse riding skills.

A $7,500 Speed Derby and a $25,000 Plymouth Rock Grand Prix were among the competitions during the exciting day of action.

NESN's Jayme Parker stopped by the event. Check out the video above to hear more.

The horse, who after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes had an opportunity to capture the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978, was reported to have tendonitis, ending his racing career. According to Belmont's track veterinarian, if the horse had run he would have run a high risk of a "bowed tendon," meaning the tendon itself actually tears.

It's a very humane decision from a sport that has been anything but, especially over the last year.

Belmont Park is one of three tracks that are part of the New York Racing Association — the other two being Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack in Long Island. During a year-long racing season the three tracks rotate, and during Aqueduct's portion from October through April, 19 horses broke down during races. Things have gotten so bad that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has had the state effectively take over NYRA for the next three years.

The reason for all the breakdowns? It depends who you ask. Trainers and owners will unequivocally, in lock-step, say that the incidents are total freak occurrences, no different than any athlete going down with an injury.

However, a series of reports by the New York Times and the New York Daily News indicate other reasons. In short, horse racing is big business for owners, and the pressure to race horses which may not be 100 percent physically fit is very high. The fact that Aqueduct opened a casino on the property and saw race stakes go up has exacerbated the problem.

For instance, one low-level horse, 4-year-old Coronado Heights, was known to have degenerative joint disease, yet was allowed to continue to race after receiving over a dozen different injections over the course of one week for pain, inflammation, and tissue damage. Coronado Heights broke down during a February 25 race, and had to be euthanized on the track. It should be noted that the horse's trainer, Todd Pletcher, is considered one of the most high-profile trainers in horse racing, and has previously had horses win the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

While horse racing has endured high-profile breakdowns in the past and will again in the future — Barbaro and Eight Belles immediately come to mind — it's hard not to make the inference that there was extreme pressure on the world of horse racing to be cautious with I'll Have Another. Racing has gotten some bad press lately, but having a horse who was known not to be fit break down in pursuit of a Triple Crown? That might have been a death knell for the increasingly-scrutinized "sport of kings."

So, again, it was absolutely the right call to retire I'll Have Another, but don't kid yourself that it was a decision made exclusively in the best interest of the horse. The horse's trainer, Doug O'Neill, was even once known as "Drug" O'Neill for his treatment of the animals.

This isn't an indictment of the sport as a whole, but it's something to keep in mind as an endemic problem — much like steroids in baseball. As you're watching the Belmont Stakes and its grandeur, just keep in mind Coronado Heights and the 18 other horses at Aqueduct — and countless others around the country — whose stories won't be told, and weren't lucky enough to make it to this day.

It will now be 34 years since Affirmed last took the three crown jewels of U.S. thoroughbred racing — the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes — in 1978. That capped a six-year span where the feat was accomplished three times, most notably by the record-breaking Secretariat in 1973. Fans are unsurprisingly starved to see it again.

It's almost happened several times since then.

From the, well, spectacular bid of Spectacular Bid in 1979 to the more recent heartbreak of Big Brown being eased up around the far turn in 2008, there have been 18 horses who have won two out of the three Triple Crown races only to come up short.

Who can forget Smarty Jones, who became a superstar and looked poised to finally end the drought — only to be run down within sight of the finish line in 2004?

And then there was Real Quiet in 1998, who came even closer than Smarty Jones. It took a photo finish to deny him his shot at racing immortality.

Click here to see the Top 10 Triple Crown near-misses of the last 35 years>>

The Seattle Mariners used a record six pitchers Friday night to combine for a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Starter Kevin Millwood was on track for a no-no, having logged six innings with six strikeouts and one walk, but he felt a twinge in his groin when warming up for the seventh. He was pulled, and Charlie Furbush, Stephen Pryor, Lucas Luetge, Brandon League and Tom Wilhelmsen combined to close out the game while the Mariners' lineup scratched across a run.

"Those guys got all the tough outs," Millwood said. "First six, it is what it is. I've seen a lot of people do that. From seven, eight, nine — those guys got all those outs, and that was special to see."

It was a true team effort to record the fourth no-hitter in Major League Baseball this year — just the 10th time in the game's history that a team has put together a combined no-hitter.

The win wasn't without drama, of course, as the Mariners walked enough Dodgers to make things interesting. But in the end, a Seattle team known as much for its offensive woes as its sometimes shaky pitching pulled off both ends of the bargain to make the history books.

Check out the video below to see the Mariners wrap up the combined no-hitter.

Photo of the Day

The Celtics' plans include a stopover in Miami before some extended time in Oklahoma City.

Photo via Instagram/celtics

Quote of the Day

"I'm afraid history is going to have to wait for another day."
–J. Paul Reddam, owner of I'll Have Another, who will not be running in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. I'll Have Another was trying to be the first horse in more than three decades to win the Triple Crown.

Tweet of the Day

Well, I guess we can add this to the list of things Pat Summitt is awesome at.

Coach Summitt just had a HOLE IN ONE on #17 at Sevierville Golf Club. Coach Moore, Lisa Reagan and @debbieantonelli saw it roll in…

— Pat Summitt (@patsummitt) June 8, 2012

Video of the Day

Apparently Charlize Theron is a fan of big, sweaty men — or just UFC.

NESN Video of the Day

Ensuring more dias of yo soy fiestas.

Doug O'Neill, the horse's trainer, has gained a rather unflattering reputation over the years because of numerous drug violations when it comes to his horses. The violations have led to the harsh nickname, which has been thrust into the spotlight even more recently because of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown quest. But now that O'Neill has put the well-being of his horse over the potential glory of horse racing's first Triple Crown since 1978, the "Drug O'Neill" moniker might soon be replaced by "Hug O'Neill" amongst casual fans.

OK, bad joke, but you get the point.

O'Neill's history of improperly medicated horses includes 17 rulings against him dating to 1997, according to The Associated Press. The trainer has reportedly maintained that all of his violations were for "therapeutic medications" in excess of allowable limits, not for banned drugs, but not everyone is buying it. According to Richard Sams, director of the HFL Sport Science Laboratory, the official testing lab for Kentucky and Virginia's racing commissions, O'Neill's statements are debatable.

"I think from his point of view, he sees everything as something to help the horse — and in his mind that is therapeutic," Sams reportedly said. "I think racing regulators see things a bit differently than he sees them, and with reason."

Sams' viewpoints aren't shared by all of those within the sport, though, as there's some, including the elder statesman among trainers, D. Wayne Lukas, who feel that O'Neill hasn't exactly gotten a fair shake.

In any event, it's clear that O'Neill and his "tactics" are as polarizing a topic as you'll find in horse racing, even if — as The Associated Press points out — he's hardly the only trainer with a history of drugging horses. By scratching I'll Have Another in the wake of some swelling to the horse's left front leg, though, any past transgressions are likely to be knocked down the totem pole in the minds of many because, clearly, this is a man who cares for his horse.

"We ain't taking any chances," O'Neill said Friday on The Dan Patrick Show after breaking the news that I'll Have Another would not run in Saturday's race. "There are people who are going to want to slap me around, but I have to do what's best for the horse."

O'Neill is right. There are going to be those who will want to slap him around. There's the gambling contingent and those looking for some sort of entertainment value out of Saturday's race. After all, for casual horse racing fans, watching a horse go for the Triple Crown is really one of the only reasons to tune in to the three-race slate each year.

But even despite the disappointment, the amount of people who want to slap O'Neill around may have decreased, because he's shown that he is a man of some integrity — a characteristic that was once questioned. If I'll Have Another had been forced to race, suffered an injury and was euthanized on the track, a la Eight Belles in 2008, O'Neill would have found himself in the hottest water yet.

Come post time on Saturday, the Belmont Stakes will no longer have the appeal it once had, but O'Neill still made the correct decision — for him as much as the horse.

Hats off, Mr. O'Neill. Your unflattering nickname could soon be a thing of the past.

Trainer Doug O’Neill confirmed that his horse, I’ll Have Another, won’t run in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday afternoon. O’Neill confirmed that news on The Dan Patrick Show.

O’Neill cited injury as the reason the horse won’t run in the race.

“It’s his left front leg,” O’Neill told the show. “This morning, he looked perfect. I took him and did a little something with him and after training, the swelling came back.”

O’Neill also said that the horse looked like it was suffering from tendinitis.

I’ll Have Another was looking to win the first Triple Crown since Affirmed took home all three of horse racing’s biggest races in 1978.

“We ain’t taking any chances,” he said. “There are people who are going to want to slap me around, but I have to do what’s best for the horse.”

O’Neill also told the show that he doesn’t see I’ll Have Another racing again.

The horse improbably won the Kentucky Derby, entering the race at 15-to-1 odds. I’ll Have Another then captured the imagination of horse racing fans by winning the Preakness last month.

Click here to read an opinion about trainer Doug O’Neill’s decision >>

This weekend, however, there's a chance we can see history, at least on the horse track. I'll Have Another will make a bid for the Triple Crown at the Belmont, and if Doug O'Neil's team can pull it out, they'll be the first Triple Crown winners since Affirmed in 1978.

There's an even longer drought in baseball, though, as it's been more than 40 years since a player won the Triple Crown. However, Josh Hamilton is making a push at the Triple Crown, and if he can do it, he'd be the first player since Carl Yastrzemski accomplished the feat in 1967.

Larry Collmus has been around horse racing a long time. Since starting as an announcer in 1985 at the age of 18, Collmus has worked at several lauded tracks on both coasts, including his current gigs at Gulfstream Park, Monmouth Park and Suffolk Downs.

Collmus admits that of the last 11 horses with a chance to capture the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes who were not successful, he claimed eight of them had good chances. But he’s still venturing a guess at how I’ll Have Another could finish this coming Saturday. I’ll Have Another is looking to become just the 12th horse ever to capture the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

Watch the video above to hear Collmus’ take on I’ll Have Another’s odds at a Triple Crown.

Maybe the owner just likes pirates, but it’s hard not to hope that he had the track announcers in mind when Arrrrr was named. When the horse won a race at Saratoga Race Course, the announcer clearly decided to have some fun with it, and the result is hilarious.

Watch the video below to hear the call.

I'll Have Another will attempt to capture horse racing's 12th Triple Crown next Saturday at the Belmont Stakes. No horse has won the Triple Crown in 34 years.

Secretariat was a dominant horse racing Triple Crown winner back in 1973, setting records in two of the races and winning the Belmont by 31 lengths. It's hard enough to win all three races, but to do it in that fashion was astounding.

Horse racing isn't the only sport with a Triple Crown, of course.

In Major League Baseball, a Triple Crown happens when a player leads the league in batting average, home runs and RBIs for the season. That hasn't been accomplished since Carl Yastrzemski smashed 44 home runs and 121 RBIs with a .326 average back in 1967. But the most impressive baseball Triple Crowns may belong to Rogers Hornsby, who managed the feat twice, hitting above .400 both times.

Still, an argument can be made that Sandy Koufax's two pitching Triple Crowns were the most impressive. Koufax finished one season with a 2.02 ERA, 26 wins and 382 strikeouts.

Hockey doesn't traditionally have a Triple Crown, but back in Marcel Dione's prime, he and his linemates, Dave Taylor and Charlie Simmer, each had 100 points, earning the nickname "The Triple Crown line." With the offensive trends in the NHL today, that feat is not likely to be accomplished for a while.

Another non-traditional Triple Crown but equally impressive feat was Oscar Robertson averaging a triple-double throughout the course of the 1961-62 season. He is the only player in NBA history ever to do so.

What is the most impressive Triple Crown of all-time?

Could it be possible that we see two Triple Crowns in the same year?

I'll Have Another would become the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in the same season since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978. If Hamilton were to finish with the league's highest dinger, RBI and average totals, he'd represent baseball's first Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski managed to do it for the Red Sox in 1967.

Baseball has seen 15 Triple Crowns in its illustrious history, with Ted Williams and Rogers Hornsby earning the honor twice. Horse racing, which has seen a number of near misses in recent years, has featured 11 Triple Crown winners.

Since I'll Have Another only needs one more race win, it may be easier for the horse to win that sport's Triple Crown than it will be for Hamilton to keep up his pace and obtain baseball's Triple Crown. But when starting up any given season, each seems far-fetched. That's why this year has the potential to be special.

But which sport's Triple Crown is harder to obtain?

Which sport's Triple Crown is harder to accomplish?