[bc_video_id:292118:]ELMONT, N.Y. – Shug McGaughey is not known for hyperbole. But in assessing Orb’s final workout for Saturday’s 138th Preakness Stakes, the Hall of Fame trainer was not afraid to toss around works like “freaky,” “breathtaking,” and “spectacular.”

Nine days after winning the Kentucky Derby and five days before he looks to add the Preakness to his résumé, Orb worked four furlongs in 47.18 seconds Monday morning over the Belmont Park main track.

AUBURN, Wash. – E Z Kitty raced to a two-length victory Sunday in the $50,000 Hastings Handicap at Emerald Downs, running six furlongs in a stakes-record-tying 1:08.26 to stamp herself as the early leader in a filly-and-mare division that promises to be topsy-turvy for the balance of the summer meeting.

Leinan prompted the early, fast pace from the outside until upper stretch, where jockey Pablo Morales asked for her best, and she responded, drawing off to win by 5 ¼ lengths in the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on Sunday.

Trained by Josie Carroll, Leinan shot to a three-length lead in upper stretch and extended the lead late for the final margin. Ghost Flower got up for second, a half-length in front of the pacesetting Cor Cor in third. The running time for the six-furlong event over a fast Tapeta surface was 1.10.49, and Leinan returned $13.40 to win.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Dhaamer defended his title with a comfortable win in Sunday’s $73,850 Round Table Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park after jockey Garrett Gomez ensured that the winner kept his mind on racing through the stretch.

Even though Dhaamer ($3.20) made the lead turning for home and had a three-length advantage with a furlong remaining, Gomez said he “squeezed” Dhaamer “a little bit to keep his mind on his task.”

Charlie Em, the 10-1 winner of the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes in her U.S. debut Saturday, will start in the $150,000 Honeymoon Handicap on June 8, co-owner Aron Wellman said.

Wellman, who operates the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners syndicate that owns Charlie Em, said the Honeymoon “makes the most sense.”

“She should move forward,” he said.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Let Em Shine, who won his stakes debut with a sharp performance in Saturday’s Came Home Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park, is likely to have two starts this summer.

Trainer Adam Kitchingman said the long-term goal remains the $500,000 King’s Bishop Stakes over seven furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 24. Where Let Em Shine starts in the interim has not been finalized, but the $150,000 Carry Back Stakes for 3-year-olds over six furlongs at Calder on July 6 is a strong possibility.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Alpha Bettor saved ground under a good ride from Justin Stein en route to an upset score in the $200,000 Eclipse Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

Alpha Bettor ($29.60) raced in third along the backstretch in the Grade 2 route as Don Cavallo set lively fractions, with 1-5 favorite Delegation in close proximity. Alpha Bettor came along the rail in the stretch and prevailed by a neck over Delegation in a quick 1:42.69 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Preakness Weekend will get off to a rousing start Friday, when Ashland Stakes winner Emollient takes on Maryland hotshot Walkwithapurpose in the Grade 2, $500,000 Black-Eyed Susan.

The 3-year-old filly classic is one of 16 stakes to be run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore on Friday and Saturday. The races are worth $3.4 million in total, with the centerpiece the second leg of the Triple Crown, the 138th Preakness Stakes on Saturday.

Itsmyluckyday worked a half-mile in 47.20 seconds Sunday afternoon at Monmouth Park, a drill Eddie Plesa Jr., his trainer and co-owner, wanted to get in prior to Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

Normandy Invasion, the fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, will not run in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes and instead will make the $1 million Travers on Aug. 24 at Saratoga his next major objective, owner Rick Porter said Sunday.

Porter said Normandy Invasion would make his next start in either the $600,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 27 or the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 28.