Hofburg, Elate together in key stakes work

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Mott is pointing Elate and Hofburg to Grade 1 stakes here in less than two weeks. On Sunday, he put the two in company for what would be their most important workouts for their respective races.

Though Hofburg will be credited with the faster time - five furlongs in 1:00.54 - it was Elate [1:00.71] who was clearly the stronger of the two in the move conducted over the Oklahoma training track.

Elate, under Neil Poznansky, started the work about 1 1/2 lengths in front of Hofburg, under Felipe Castro. Elate went in splits of 12.40 seconds, 24.40, and 35.30 to the quarter pole with Hofburg still a length or so behind. In midstretch Poznansky looked behind him, waiting for Hofburg to catch up. Hofburg got within a neck of Elate at the wire. Elate galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.99 while opening up on Hofburg.

“I thought Elate was really good,” Mott said. “Hofburg worked okay, but he didn’t work quite as good as she did. There might not be many horses that run by that mare now. I was very impressed with her.”

Elate, last year’s Alabama winner, is pointing to the $700,000 Personal Ensign. Elate has run only once this year, but she was victorious in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap.

Hofburg, coming off a five-length victory in the Curlin Stakes, is pointing to the $1.5 million Travers.

Elate and Hofburg will work again next week, but it will be an easier type of move and most likely not in company with each other.