Hofburg will make his first start in seven months in the Mineshaft Stakes on Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds, trainer Bill Mott said.
Hofburg, now 5, was one of the better 3-year-olds of his generation but didn’t start between October 2018 and July 2019. He won his comeback race last summer at Saratoga but hasn’t started since.
“He just wasn’t moving well, so we backed off him again, gave him time, brought him back,” Mott said. “He’s doing well again now.”
Though he was held in high regard by his connections from the start, By My Standards required four races to win a maiden race, but after doing so last Feb. 16 at Fair Grounds, he went on to capture the Louisiana Derby. By My Standards was training encouragingly for the Kentucky Derby but went into the race nursing a foot problem, had trouble in the running, finished 12th, and wound up getting the rest of the year off.
Trainer Bill Mott confirmed Friday he’s sending the 3-year-old colt Modernist from New York to Fair Grounds to start Feb. 15 in the Risen Star Stakes.
Mott was asked if Modernist bore any similarities to Country House, who finished second in the 2019 Risen Star before going on to become Mott’s first Kentucky Derby winner, awarded the victory when Churchill Downs stewards disqualified Maximum Security.
“Look at their past performances,” Mott replied.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas could jump on the Kentucky Derby trail next week with American Butterfly. He said Friday the horse is being considered for the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 17 at Oaklawn.
American Butterfly was second by a head in a highly rated allowance here Feb. 2. He rallied up the rail and earned his best career Beyer Figure, an 83.
“The eyeball test was the best, too,” Lukas said.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The strong quality of horse trainer Brad Cox has in place at the young Oaklawn Park meet has lifted the stable to five quick wins heading into the card Friday.
Next week, the barn is taking it up notch.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gold Street, the winner of the $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, and fellow stakes winners Shoplifted and Silver Prospector were all out for works Wednesday at Oaklawn. The trio is trained by Steve Asmussen, who has said all are likely to run back in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest here Feb. 17.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Two 4-year-old fillies expected to play dominant roles in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes on Feb. 15 – Hard Not to Love and Mother Mother – had quick workouts at Santa Anita on Friday.
Hard Not to Love, the upset winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60. The only horse with a faster time at the distance was Mother Mother, who was clocked in 59.80 seconds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Peter Miller is planning to ship small teams of runners to the major stakes in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 29 and Dubai on March 28.
Billy Batts, Captain Scotty and Ghoul are bound for seven-figure stakes in Saudi Arabia.
Billy Batts, second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November, was scheduled to start in Friday’s $75,000 Baffle Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita as a prep for the $800,000 Diriyah Dirt Mile for 3-year-olds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Two Thirty Five, second to Midcourt in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 1, is a candidate for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, trainer Richard Baltas said.
The $600,000 Big Cap is run at 1 1/4 miles and would be Two Thirty Five’s first start at the distance since a seventh in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August 2018. Last August, Two Thirty Five won the Harry Brubaker Stakes at a mile at Del Mar.
Friday’s eight-race card at Aqueduct was canceled due to a forecast for high winds.
The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind advisory for the New York City area with sustained winds between 25 and 35 miles per hour and gusts approaching 60 miles per hour.
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