Eagle Orb shrugs off gate troubles, wins Notebook Stakes

By Melissa Bauer-Herzog

Eagle Orb spent the past few months coming close to an elusive stakes victory and Saturday broke through in the $100,000 Notebook Stakes at Aqueduct.

A 2-year-old son of Kentucky Derby winner Orb, Eagle Orb was so eager to start the Notebook that he broke through the gate – reacting to antics from a horse to his outside. Once all was sorted and the field reloaded, Eagle Orb acted like a complete professional when tracking the leaders along the rail early in the 6-furlong stakes.

Eagle Orb switched to the outside when things got serious and made his move to take the lead in the stretch. He and jockey Manny Franco cruised to the wire 2 3/4 lengths in front of favored Blue Gator. Eagle Orb finished second in two of his previous three stakes attempts and trainer Rudy Rodriguez was happy to see his colt break through.

“This horse always shows up,” Rodriguez said. “I was a little disappointed why we didn’t get the last two wins. He’s been close at Saratoga and at Belmont. He was close, but I’m very happy for the owner to win this race. He was knocking at the door.”

Bred by Barry Ostrager and purchased for $95,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale by E.V. Racing Stable, the colt races in their colors and is a half-brother to six other winners out of stakes-placed Lady On Holiday.

A half-sister to Grade 3 winner Bold Start and two other stakes runners, Lady On Holiday was purchased by Ostrager carrying this colt in 2018 for $30,000. She also has a yearling colt by New York-based stallion Golden Ticket and a weanling colt by Dialed In born in April with both born in New York. Lady On Holiday most recently visited Mo Town for a 2021 foal.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2020/11/15/eagle-orb-shrugs-off-gate-troubles-wins-notebook-stakes/

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