Hofburg using Curlin Stakes to get to Travers

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-year-olds 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.

“And by running him two turns, it helps him get involved in the race a little easier rather than dropping well back as he did in his two poor outings. I thought he got across the ground real well this morning and Julien was pleased as well with the way he worked.”

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.