Belmont Starters Put Through Final Preparations The field for Saturday's Belmont Stakes is firming up, with a full field of 15 horses likely to draw into the race. Many of the contenders completed their final workouts last weekend, and others traveled from Kentucky to New York. Of the contenders, Freedom Child, Orb and Palace Malice have been most impressive in their training. Orb, the Kentucky Derby winner who finished fourth in the Preakness, was confirmed to start the Belmont after pleasing his connections Sunday with a nice workout: a half-mile in 48.3, with a nice gallop out. He worked in company with Hymn Book and looked good finishing ahead on his own. "He started off nice and steady, which Shug wanted, and finished up strong," Jennifer Patterson, Orb's exercise rider, said, referring to Orb and trainer Shug McGaughey. I gave him his head at the eighth pole and he opened up his stride. He did everything very easily. I didn't have to encourage him at all. He came off the track and he was kind of spooking and playing, but in a good way. He's just happy and feeling good. Everything went right this morning. Orb had the day off Monday, which is usual after a workday. He was full of energy jogging around the track Tuesday, indicating a good recovery. The Preakness winner, Oxbow, completed his final preparations in Kentucky last week. He shipped to New York and arrived at Belmont Park Monday with his fellow Belmont starter Will Take Charge. Both went to the Belmont track for the first time Tuesday to become familiar with the new surroundings. The second-place finisher in the Derby, Golden Soul, also completed his final preparations last week at Churchill Downs. He flies to New York on Tuesday. Todd Pletcher worked his five potential Belmont starters Sunday. Palace Malice went a half-mile in 47.56 and appears to have been training well over the last couple of weeks. Revolutionary also worked a half-mile, in 48.51, and Overanalyze went a half-mile in 48.1. The filly, Unlimited Budget, went a swift half-mile in 47.55. The least likely of Pletcher's five to go in the Belmont, Midnight Taboo, went five furlongs in 1:00.88. Perhaps the most interesting challenger to the Preakness and Derby winners will be the Peter Pan winner, Freedom Child. He has been training well leading up to the Belmont. On Sunday he galloped six furlongs, going the last half-mile in 52.84. It was a visually impressive move, much like his day-to-day galloping. Incognito also worked Sunday at Belmont Park, on the training track, going a half-mile in 48.25. He finished fifth behind Freedom Child in the Peter Pan. Always in a Tiz worked Saturday at Belmont Park, going five furlongs in 1:01.12. He remains under consideration for the Belmont. Frac Daddy was also added to the list of Belmont starters after working a half-mile in 47.8 at Churchill Downs Saturday. He flies from Kentucky to New York Tuesday. Vyjack and Giant Finish were scheduled to complete their final works Monday but the weather disrupted their plans. They worked Tuesday instead. Giant Finish went a half-mile in 49.04, under Edgar Prado. Vyjack was put to a more aggressive task, going the 5/8th in 59.42. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez was aboard for the move and pushed Vyjack through the stretch.