Rodriguez pointing Eagle Orb to statebred Damon Runyon

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Rudy Rodriguez resisted the temptation of entering Eagle Orb in Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes and is pointing the Jerome Stakes runner-up to the $100,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York-breds on March 14.

“Hopefully, we can win a race with him and build his confidence a little bit and take it from there,” Rodriguez said.

Eagle Orb attempted two turns in the Withers and finished fifth, 10 1/4 lengths behind Risk Taking.

“I think with New York-breds distance will be okay, with open horses its kind of hard,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t think he ran that bad last time. He was wide all the way.”

:: Bet horse racing on DRF Bets. Double Your First Deposit Up to $250. Join Now.

The Damon Runyon, run at seven furlongs, is expected to be the next start for Excellent Timing, who was sold privately and transferred to Chad Brown following an impressive maiden victory here in December for Charlton Baker.

Excellent Timing shipped up from Florida on Wednesday and will likely breeze this weekend at Belmont.