Orb , winner of this year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), has been retired and will stand at Claiborne Farm in 2014.
Stuart Janney III, who co-owns the colt with Phipps Stable, said Nov. 5 the decision was "made with mixed emotions." Three-year-old Orb, a homebred by Malibu Moon out of the Unbridled mare Lady Liberty, will stand for $25,000 live foal, stands and nurses.
"While I believe he would have had a very successful 4-year-old campaign, and Phipps Stable and I would have loved being a part of that, Orb is a wonderful stallion prospect," Janney said in a release. "We look forward to supporting him and to racing his offspring."
This year, Orb also won the Florida Derby (gr. I) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park. After his Derby victory, he finished fourth in the Preakness Stakes and third in the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes (all gr. I).
"I was thoroughly amazed at the progress this colt made from January to the first Saturday in May," said Orb's trainer, Hall of Fame member Shug McGaughey. "I was quietly very confident on Derby day, and he proved without a doubt what kind of horse he was in a race of great magnitude.
"He is retiring completely sound, and while I'm sorry to see him move on, it seems like an opportune time for him to begin his next career."
Orb earned $2,612,516, with five wins in 12 starts. In his final race on Sept. 28, he was eighth against older horses in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I).
"It's exciting to have a Kentucky Derby winner coming to the farm," Claiborne representative Bernie Sams said, "and it's even more exciting when it's a horse that was raised here for people like Stuart Janney and the Phippses. We couldn't be more pleased."
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