BALTIMORE -- For a while there, it looked as if the Preakness was shaping up to be a runaway victory for Kentucky Derby winner Orb. Then came the post-position draw. Suddenly things got very interesting. Orbs pursuit of the Triple Crown received an unexpected jolt Wednesday when trainer Shug McGaugheys horse drew the rail for Saturdays race. McGaughey tried to brush off the development as a mere inconvenience, but he couldnt entirely mask his disappointment over starting inside eight other horses in the smallest Preakness field since 2007. "Obviously, if I was going to pick it out, I wouldnt have picked the 1," McGaughey said. "But with only nine horses in there to run a mile and three-sixteenths, with a rider like Joel (Rosario), hes going to figure out what to do. Hell have him in the right spot." Thats the plan. Yet, if Orb doesnt get in front early, he risks becoming pinned on the rail or pushed to the back of the field. The inside post is even worse in the Derby, where this year there were 19 horses in the field. "If it had come out the 1 in the Derby, youd almost have felt like you needed to go home," McGaughey said. "But I dont feel that way here." Still, history suggests Orbs advantage in this race has dwindled, even though he was made the even-money favourite in the morning line. Only twice since 1950 has a horse won from the No. 1 post -- Bally Ache in 1960 and Tabasco Cat in 1994. So the rest of the field has a little bit more hope than it did before Orb got stuck on the rail. "Out of the nine numbers, the 1 is probably the one you want the least," said Al Stall Jr., the trainer of Departing. Mylute, who will start from the No. 5 post as the second-favourite at 5-1, trailed Orb for much of the race in Kentucky. This race could develop quite differently with Orb inside. "We need to make up three or four lengths, and that may be one of the factors that helps us," said Todd Quast, general manager of GoldMark Farm, co-owner of the Derbys fifth-place finisher. Soon after the draw ended, Mylute jockey Rosie Napravnik said on Twitter, "Perfect draw! super excited! Quast said, "Were ecstatic about it. With this horse, it doesnt matter as much, but it sure is nice being inside, a little bit toward the middle, and then having Orb inside us and Departing inside us, the two big threats. Its great to be outside of them." Departing, a bay gelding, won the Grade III Illinois Derby on April 20 and skipped the Kentucky Derby because Stall did not think the horse was ready. The trainer thinks it might be an advantage at the Preakness. "In this day and age, the modern thoroughbred seems to like a little time in-between races. I dont know why," Stall said. "So were fortunate enough to have 28 days between the Illinois Derby and now. It gave us time to improve and he really has improved. You can see it on a day-to-day basis when you train him." Stall is among those who believe the rail wont be a hindrance to Orb. "The post doesnt really matter in this type of race, this type of track with a nine-horse field," he said. "Its just a good party to come to." Orb won the Derby by 2 1/2 lengths and has won five straight races, so hes certainly worth of being the favourite in spite of his starting position. "I dont know that the rails all that bad," said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who has three horses in the race: Oxbow, Will Take Charge and Titletown Five. "Orb is still the one to beat." The field, from the rail, with odds in parenthesis: Orb (1-1), Goldencents (8-1), Titletown Five (30-1), Departing (6-1), Mylute (5-1), Oxbow (15-1), Will Take Charge (12-1), Govenor Charlie (12-1) and Itsmyluckyday (10-1). Lukas was delighted with the post positions drawn by his trio of entrants. "I love mine. I thought it was real good," he said. "Oxbow for a change got inside a little bit. Hell be forwardly placed. We shouldnt have any trouble. Im going to have to come up with a different excuse when we get beat." Leicester Citys remarkable run to the Premier League title last season taught an invaluable lesson to fans and pundits alike -- you dont always have to have the highest wage bill to win. But as magical as that run was for Claudio Ranieri and Co., it was always going to be a struggle for them to defend their title.Coming off last weekends 4-1 loss to Manchester United, the Foxes (2-1-3) are aiming to get back to their winning ways Sunday against Southampton at King Power Stadium on Sunday.The big boys always come calling, and while the club did well to keep hold of star men Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, perhaps the most vital piece of that title-winning side, NGolo Kante, departed for the blue pastures of Chelsea.The champions only goal against Man U came from Demarai Grey, who struck in the 59th-minute with an outstanding hit from distance. It was merely consolation as Ranieri admitted his boys simply switched off against a talented United side.Its very strange because the first 20 minutes we started well, moved the ball quickly and put them under pressure, Ranieri told the clubs official television channel. Suddenly then we conceded a goal with a corner and thats strange because were strong on the corner.We lost our confidence and strength. We started to try to do something alone, but not as a team.Despite the heavy defeat in league play, the Foxes passed a bigger test with flying colours thanks to an impressive 1-0 win over Porto in the Champions League group stage Tuesday. Algeria international Islam Slimani has been a revelation since signing with Leicester in the summer, and it was his first-half header that propelled the club to the victory.Captain Wes Morgan remarked that Tuesdays victory allowed the club to show their character.It was a fantastic night for everyone involved with Leeicester City, Morgan told LCFC TV.dddddddddddd The fans were amazing. You could really feel the energy from the crowd and that translated into the team.We worked really hard and it wasnt an easy game but we came out victorious and thats the main thing.Southampton (2-2-2), on the other hand, are aiming to continue their ascent up the Premier League table following their best performance to date, a 3-0 thrashing of West Ham United last week. Charlie Austin, Joel Ward-Prowse and Dusan Tadic all scored to lead the Saints past the struggling east London outfit -- a result which certainly delighted manager Claude Puel.It was a very good second half. Our first half was not interesting, Puel said. It was not good football from us, but it was important to correct this in the second half. We scored three good goals and we didnt take a goal against us, which is always important. The defence and the attack is the work of all the team.All of the team defended and all of the players attack. If we respect this for the future, we can make something very good.The Saints also collected an impressive point in Europa League play on Thursday following a scoreless draw with Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva.I think it is a good point because we played a good team who have good physical and technical players, Puel said. It was important to come back with a point when we cannot get three for the future.Defender Virgil van Dijk believes the result can only help team spirit.I think that shows the team spirit at the moment, van Dijk said. It was a tough game and we knew before the game it was going to be tough with their fans behind them, and theyve got a couple of quality players as well. ' ' '