Hofburg, Bravazo work ahead of Travers Stakes prep races

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The 3-year-olds Hofburg and Bravazo put in workouts approximately four hours apart Sunday morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for stakes engagements that their trainers hope eventually land them in the Travers Stakes on Aug. 25.

Hofburg, the third-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes, worked a half-mile in 49.22 seconds, getting his final quarter in 24.17 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:03.50. He is preparing for Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes.

Hofburg worked shortly after the Oklahoma training track opened at 9:30 a.m. following the second renovation break. Showers had fallen throughout the morning, but the track was harrowed and listed as “good” at that time.

“I thought he worked well. The track actually was not bad, it was a little heavy maybe,” trainer Bill Mott said.

Mott said he prefers the Curlin to the Jim Dandy because after running Hofburg in three consecutive Grade 1 stakes, he would like to give Hofburg a little class relief before the Travers.

“We’ve thrown him to the wolves. We’ve been in Grade 1s the last three times; it’s not like we haven’t stepped up to the plate,” Mott said. “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.”

Entries for the Curlin will be taken Monday. As of Sunday, Madison’s Luna, Zing Zang, and Reride were considered definite to enter. Madison’s Luna, the winner of the Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream in March, worked five furlongs in 1:01.65 seconds Sunday over a muddy Saratoga main track.

Shortly after the Oklahoma track opened at 5:30 Sunday morning, Bravazo, the Preakness runner-up and the only horse other than Justify to run in all three Triple Crown races this year, worked a half-mile in 48.61 seconds over a sealed and wet track.

Bravazo, who has not run since finishing sixth in the Belmont Stakes, worked in company with the unraced 2-year-old Derby Date. Bravazo began the move about two lengths behind Derby Date and finished on even terms with that juvenile, who went a half-mile in 49.01 seconds.

“The object was to get a good work in him and a light work in Bravazo,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “We didn’t want Bravazo to do a lot, so we just escorted him around there and let him run with him the last eighth.”

Lukas said Bravazo held up well through the Triple Crown grind.

“I think he’s stronger; you don’t expect him to be at this time of year, but he’s filled out. He’s gained weight since the Belmont,” Lukas said. “He’s had a good three or four weeks here. I feel like he’s sitting on a pretty good effort.”

Lukas said Luis Saez will ride Bravazo in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park next Sunday. Saez also will ride Grade 1 Hopeful winner Sporting Chance in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy here on Saturday.

Sporting Chance worked out of the gate on Saturday, going four furlongs in 50.40 seconds in company.