Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Hofburg among six in Curlin Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Bill Mott’s focus when it comes to his 3-year-old Hofburg is to get him to the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on Aug. 25 in the best way possible.
As of Monday, Mott believes the best way to do that is to run Hofburg in Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. It’s not as prestigious or as lucrative as Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, but it’s supposed to be easier.
Hofburg is still eligible for a first-level allowance race. But he’s been running against the division’s best for months, finishing second to Audible in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March and seventh behind Justify in the Kentucky Derby. Most recently, he finished third behind Justify and Gronkowski in the Belmont Stakes.
“We’ve thrown him to the wolves,” Mott said. “We’ve been in Grade 1’s the last three times; it’s not like we haven’t stepped up to the plate. We haven’t shown any fear yet, we just want to be sensible.
“Our main focus for this meet would be the Travers, and we’ll do everything we can do to get him there in the best possible way.”
Hofburg completed preparations for the Curlin by working a half-mile in 49.22 seconds Sunday over the Oklahoma training track.
Hofburg was one of six 3-yearolds entered Monday for Friday’s Curlin. In 2014, V.E. Day won the Curlin and came back to win the Travers.
Trainer Steve Asmussen entered Zing Zang and Reride, while trainer Linda Rice put in American Lincoln and Nicodemus. Madison’s Luna, winner of the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes going six furlongs at Gulfstream in March, was also entered.
On Monday, Zing Zang, most recently third in an allowance race at Belmont, worked a half-mile in 50.08 seconds over the Oklahoma training track, getting his second quarter in 24.46 seconds. It was an easier work than on July 16, when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80.
“As good of a work as he put in last Monday, I’m very anxious to run him off that good of a work,” Asmussen said.
Reride, winner of the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland in February, worked four furlongs in 50.74 seconds Monday over the Oklahoma training track.
Madison’s Luna worked five furlongs in 1:01.63 over the main track Sunday under regular rider Julien Leparoux. Madison’s Luna ran second in a turf allowance after poor efforts in the one-turn graded stakes Pat Day Mile and Woody Stephens.
“He ran two such bad races, with some type of excuses for both, that I put him in that allowance race on the turf at Churchill Downs to try to put some confidence back in him and it seemed to do him good,” trainer Philip Bauer said.
Tenfold, who finished fifth in the Belmont, worked four furlongs in 49.29 seconds over the Oklahoma track in preparation for Saturday’s Jim Dandy. Others expected for the Jim Dandy are Flameaway, Sporting Chance, and Vino Rosso. Lone Sailor was possible for the Jim Dandy or Sunday’s Haskell at Monmouth.
Yoshida possible for Whitney
A year ago, Good Samaritan made his dirt debut a winning one, defeating Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Preakness winner Cloud Computing in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga.
Now, those same connections – trainer Bill Mott and an ownership group that includes Win Star Farm and China Horse Club – are considering a similar surface switch with the 4-yearold Yoshida.
Yoshida, a Japanese-bred son of Heart’s Cry who most recently finished fifth in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, could make his dirt debut in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 4, trainer Bill Mott said Sunday.
Yoshida’s dam is Hilda’s Passion, a five-time graded stakes winner on dirt including the Grade 1 Ballerina in 2011.
On Sunday, Yoshida worked a half-mile over the Oklahoma training track in 50.28 seconds, going his first quarter in 26.68 seconds and his last quarter in 23.60. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.50.
It was Yoshida’s first work since he finished fifth in the Queen Anne, beaten only 1 1/4 lengths. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.
Mott said Yoshida will also be nominated to the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, a mile turf race here on Aug. 11.
Whatever race Yoshida runs in, Good Samaritan will likely run in the other, Mott said. Good Samaritan is a Grade 2 stakes winner on turf and dirt. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on dirt and, most recently, finished seventh in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.