Hofburg Rolls to Easy Victory in Curlin Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Hofburg secures his first stakes win in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
The confidence displayed by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard Hofburg in the $100,000 Curlin Stakes July 27 in the slop at Saratoga Race Course proved warranted.
The classic-placed son of Tapit had little trouble securing his first stakes win Friday in the 1 1/8-mile Curlin, as he forged past Nicodemus at the top of the stretch and drew off to a five-length victory. Ortiz hit him once and showed him the whip another time in midstretch to keep Hofburg's attention, but his win was never in doubt through the lane.
In his first race since finishing third in the June 9 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Juddmonte Farms' homebred appears poised for a strong summer campaign, as his connections turn their focus to the 1 1/4-mile Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 25 at Saratoga.
"He really was much the best in this field," Ortiz said. "He came from the Belmont Stakes, came back good, and if he came back 95%, 90%, he was going to be tough in the race, and he was 100% today. He looked awesome. He's a nice horse."
Hofburg was sent off the 1-5 favorite Friday in a race that had conditions seemingly written for the lightly raced Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) runner-up—3-year-olds who have not won a graded stakes over a mile in 2018. Any consternation by his backers was focused on how the sloppy (sealed) track was playing. Five of the day's first seven races were won by horses who led at first call, and Hofburg never raced better than fifth early in his five previous races.
After a break from the rail, Ortiz chose not to adjust Hofburg's running style and allowed his four rivals to move past him early while he grabbed a position at the back on the outside. Ortiz kept Hofburg wide and last through the first turn and moved out to five wide in the backstretch. He stayed relatively close to early leader American Lincoln, who completed a half-mile in :47.81 while pushed by Madison's Luna.
Entering the far turn, Hofburg improved position and moved into third, where he initially tracked three wide. Then, after American Lincoln faded, he challenged Nicodemus, who ran well in his stakes debut. Hofburg put away Nicodemus at the top of the stretch and completed the race in 1:50.18.
"You've got to let them have their own style of running. We didn't want to get too far back," said winning trainer Bill Mott. "As you could see, we were within five, six, seven lengths all the way down the backside until (Ortiz) got him moving and got him running toward the middle of the turn a little bit. In the mud, you don't want to get too far back in a small field."
Hofburg paid $2.50 to win and $2.10 to place and show. Nicodemus, by Candy Ride , held second to return $4.50 to place and $3.20 to show. Jackpot Ranch's Zing Zang, also by Tapit, secured his first stakes placing and paid $3.20 to show.
Mott believes Hofburg can move forward off the effort. The Hall of Fame trainer had some concerns about the colt's behavior Friday, and he suspects the race will help.
"He was a little hot and a little agitated today. Frankly, I was a little bit concerned, but I think mainly he just needed to run," Mott said. "He's a little bit fresh right now, and I think he just wanted to get moving forward. Hopefully, when he comes back in the Travers, he'll be a little cooler and a little more collected. He was a little pushy.
"I think the timing (of the Travers) is right. He's had a race over the track, a win over the track, and it gives the trainer some confidence. I don't know if the horse needed it, but the trainer did."
The Curlin is the first of three East Coast stakes this weekend that figure to produce Travers starters. On July 28, Saratoga will offer the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), and the following day Monmouth Park offers the featured race of its meet, the betfair.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1).