Talk » of eight starting pivots across the league would be a good pla

vNEW YORK -- Back home again, Kentucky Derby winner Orb is the horse to beat in the Belmont Stakes. Orb was made the 3-1 morning-line favourite in a field of 14 entered for Saturdays final leg of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park, and trainer Shug McGaughey is confident his colt can bounce back from his fourth-place finish behind Oxbow in the Preakness. "Hes been here for three weeks, and I think it has to be a help not only mentally but being familiar with the footing as well," McGaughey said. "Hes done well here and trained well here. ... Im going to strike a line through the Preakness. It wasnt his day. It was (trainer) Wayne Lukas and Oxbow and Gary Stevens day. Were going to regroup and hopefully youll see the right horse here on Saturday." Orb drew the No. 5 post Wednesday, with Oxbow two gates over in No. 7. Revolutionary, one of trainer Todd Pletchers record five entries, is the second choice at 9-2. Oxbow is next at 5-1. "I think Shug has established his horse as the favourite today, and thats right," said Lukas, who has won a record 14 Triple Crown races, including the Belmont four times. "But I think he knows he has to take care of business in getting us out of the way, too." The field for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont is the largest since 1996, when Lukas won the race with Editors Note. "Its a great advantage to be on your home court, where you train your horses," said Lukas, who used to have a Belmont-based stable. "They dont have to ship in and get settled, and then get over the surface. Theyve already been doing that." Orb, under Joel Rosario, navigated his way past 16 rivals in the final half mile of the Derby to win by 2 1/2 lengths. In the Preakness, Orb was unable to find running room outside after breaking from the rail, and Oxbow led wire-to-wire under Gary Stevens. McGaughey is well-versed in what it takes to deal with the Belmont -- one long trip around the spacious oval. "The jockey is really going to have to read the race -- its what separates the top riders from some of those that arent," said McGaughey, who won the Belmont with Easy Goer in 1989 and spoiled Sunday Silences Triple Crown try. "If you turn down the backside at Belmont, its not like turning down the backside at Churchill Downs, or Pimlico or the Fair Grounds. "Youve got a long way to go, and big open space through there, and you better be patient. If youre not, its going to get to you." Orb comes into the race with five wins in nine starts for owners Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps and Stuart Janney III, while Oxbows Preakness win was just his third win in 11 starts for Calumet Farm. Pletcher is looking for his second Belmont win. He won it in 2007 with the filly Rags to Riches, and Unlimited Budget could make him 2-for-2 with his Belmont fillies if Rosie Napravnik can pull off the upset and become the second female rider to win a Triple Crown race (Julie Krone won the 1993 Belmont with Colonial Affair). "Shes a big, strong, talented filly. From a physical standpoint, she is going to match up well," Pletcher said. "My biggest concern is the mile-and-a-half, with her not as strongly bred as Rags to Riches. But shes trained very well." Pletcher will also send out Overanalyze, Palace Malice and Midnight Taboo. Mike Repole owns Unlimited Budget, Overanalyze and Midnight Taboo. Unlimited Budget, who won her first four starts before running third in the Kentucky Oaks, and Peter Pan winner Freedom Child are co-fourth choices at 8-1. The last Derby-Belmont winner was Thunder Gulch in 1995, and the last Preakness-Belmont winner was Afleet Alex in 2005. The last rematch of the Derby and Preakness winners was in 2011, when Preakness winner Shackleford ran fifth and Derby winner Animal Kingdom sixth behind Ruler On Ice. The field from the rail out is Frac Daddy (Alan Garcia, 30-1), Freedom Child (Luis Saez, 8-1), Overanalyze (John Velazquez, 12-1), Giant Finish (Edgar Prado, 30-1), Orb (Joel Rosario, 3-1), Incognito (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 20-1), Oxbow (Gary Stevens, 5-1), Midnight Taboo (Garrett Gomez, 30-1), Revolutionary (Javier Castellano, 9-2), Will Take Charge (Jon Court, 20-1), Vyjack (Julien Leparoux, 20-1), Palace Malice (Mike Smith, 15-1), Unlimited Budget (Rosie Napravnik, 8-1), and Golden Soul (Robby Albarado, 10-1). Moses Malone Jersey . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Allen Leavell Jersey . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/437z-chandler-parsons-jersey-rockets.html . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Wholesale Rockets Jerseys . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. Kyle Lowry Jersey .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday.Chad Owens record-breaking season last year broke a string of five consecutive years a quarterback was named Most Outstanding Player; in the last 20 years only four non-QBs have won that distinction. So if youre looking to pick a winner for 2013, the group of eight starting pivots across the league would be a good place to start. Looking down that list, its a veritable whos who of MOP contenders. BCs Travis Lulay is just one year removed from winning the award while Ricky Ray is coming off an outstanding first season with the Argonauts in Toronto, one that culminated in a Grey Cup victory. Henry Burris proved he still has a lot left in the tank in Hamilton and perhaps Alouettes great Anthony Calvillo, in what could be his final season, is saving his best for last. And if he can stay healthy for a full 18 games, Calgarys Drew Tate could certainly have his hat thrown in the riing for MOP consideration.dddddddddddd But more than ever these days, the CFL is built on playmakers, so the MOP award returning to a quarterback this season isnt necessarily a lock. The list of skilled position playmakers is of course topped by Owens, the Argonauts game-changing receiver and return man. Owens has a good chance to make it two MOPs in a row, especially with his main rival for highlights Chris Williams looking like hell sit out the entire season with a contract dispute. And wed be remiss not to mention the other usual suspects that always seem to find their way to the top of the stat sheets, guys like running backs Jon Cornish and Andrew Harris, and receivers Fred Stamps and Weston Dressler. Who is your pre-season favourite to be named 2013 Most Outstanding Player? Youve heard what weve had to say, now its your turn. As always, its Your! Call. ' ' '