Juddmonte Hopes To Reprise Role of Spoiler With Hofburg

He was standing under a phalanx of umbrellas, dodging both full cans of beer and obscenities being thrown his way. And today, 15 years later, Garrett O'Rourke would like nothing more than to do it all over again.

Even under the worst conditions, it's nice to be standing in the winner's circle at Belmont Park celebrating victory in the Belmont Stakes (G1). In 2003, O'Rourke, the American manager of the worldwide Juddmonte Farms juggernaut of Prince Khalid Abdullah, proudly stood on the valuable slab of real estate following the triumph of Empire Maker  over the people's choice, Funny Cide, after denying the New York-bred dual classic winner the Triple Crown (actually, Funny Cide finished third, well behind runner-up Ten Most Wanted). 

"It was pouring rain and the TV network went to a commercial, so we had to wait for the trophy presentation," remembered O'Rourke. "We were lucky they were holding umbrellas over Gov. (George) Pataki and (trainer) Bobby (Frankel). The cans started flying our way, and the riot police had to come in. I looked over and the only two people who weren't rattled were Gov. Pataki and Bobby Frankel. They were like, 'They're our boys; good old New York boys.'"

This time around, the Juddmonte team is hoping to play spoiler against Justify as that colt seeks to become the 13th Triple Crown winner in U.S. racing history. The famous Juddmonte silks will be seen on the back of Hofburg, a homebred son of Tapit  out of Soothing Touch, a daughter of Belmont winner Touch Gold. 

Although just a maiden winner, the Bill Mott-trained Hofburg picked up steam with his closing second-place finish behind Audible in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1). After a ground-saving trip in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), Hofburg hesitated swinging off the final turn, got stuck behind the retreating Mendelssohn, and then swung wide, where he picked up the running before settling for seventh place, 8 3/4 lengths behind Justify.

"Bill was as bullish as I've ever seen him going into the Derby and as gutted as I've ever seen him coming out of the Derby," said O'Rourke. "He is regenerated and bullish again heading into the Belmont, and I think he wants to prove it wasn't false confidence he had going into the Derby. We think he's a much better horse than he was able to prove, unfortunately, on Derby Day. The good thing is the horse came out of the race in good shape and has worked well since, so we're on target."

Long known for its global excellence with turf runners, Juddmonte now actively seeks out horses it thinks will excel at American dirt racing as well. Champion Arrogate , the all-time North American leading money-earner, is exhibit A in its success in that endeavor.

Juddmonte went to $550,000 to purchase Soothing Touch from the 2005 Keeneland September yearling auction. Produced from the stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Glia, Soothing Touch hit right out of the gate in her broodmare career. Bred to Empire Maker, she issued Emollient, a grade 1-winning filly on turf and synthetic, and turf stakes winner Courtier (by Pioneerof the Nile ).

"When you have these families, they can race on dirt or turf, and there's no way we would force them into one or the other," O'Rourke said. "That's when you hand it over to professionals like Bill Mott, and Bill felt from the beginning Hofburg was a natural on dirt. It's in the way he finishes his works. He's always impressed us working to the wire with a workmate, and then when they drop the reins he always gallops out in front. Turf horses don't usually do that. We think he's got a big future on dirt."

Having won the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), and Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline (G1) with Arrogate and trainer Bob Baffert, Juddmonte is now having to line up against that trainer in the Belmont. O'Rourke chuckled at the irony.

"You do become friends with your trainers, people like Bobby, Bill, Chad Brown, Brad Cox; you admire the talent and the work they do. But in the end it's Team Juddmonte," O'Rourke said. "I have every admiration for WinStar and Justify and for Bob Baffert. But we go in there with one goal in mind on Belmont day.

"We spoiled the party 15 years ago and we weren't very popular then, but it didn't sour the taste of victory."