Hofburg to Miss Travers After Spiking Fever
Image:
Description:
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Hofburg trains at Belmont Park
Hofburg will miss the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) after spiking a fever, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Aug. 19 at Saratoga Race Course.
The chestnut son of Tapit , owned by Juddmonte Farms, appeared to be coming into top form following a third-place effort in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) and a convincing five-length score in the July 27 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga in his most recent start.
"Hofburg will not run in the Travers,'' a disappointed Mott said. "He's been off the training list the last two days and we're not going to force ourselves into the Travers."
Hofburg placed fourth in his 2-year-old maiden debut Sept. 2 at Saratoga, but returned in 2018 to score in his first start of the year, winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Gulfstream Park. In his next start he finished runner up to Audible in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) before splashing to a rough-and-tumble seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Mott chose to skip the Preakness Stakes (G1) with his charge and sent him out to a credible run in the Belmont.
The 3-year-old colt has a record of 2-1-1 in six starts and earnings of $432,950.
The field for Saturday's Travers remains large, with as many as 12 starters, including betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1) winner Good Magic and the back-to-back Canadian stakes-winning filly Wonder Gadot, as well as Irish trainer Aiden O'Brien's group 2 winner Seahenge and grade 1 winner Mendelssohn.