Belmont 2018 Hofburg's 'opportunity to show what he can do'

As the support for Justify reaches a fever pitch in advance of Saturday's 2018 Belmont Stakes, a faint beating of the drum can be heard in the distance for the second morning choice in the wagering, Hofburg. And it's growing louder.

The lightly raced son of Tapit, whose progeny has won three of the last four editions of the Belmont, is the least experienced runner in the field, but he has been getting better with every start. Thrown to the wolves in the Grade 1 Florida Derby with just a maiden win to his credit, Hofburg rallied well to finish second behind Audible at odds of 8-1.

There was considerable buzz surrounding him heading into the Kentucky Derby, but he never got a chance to prove whether or not the hype was warranted. After being stymied in traffic around the far turn and at the head of the lane, the Juddmonte Farms color-bearer finished fastest of all through the stretch, offering his proponents a glimpse of the ability they'd been touting.

Saturday, his backers should get a fair chance to see how good he really is, as he continues to signal his readiness for the task, according to his Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

"We had a good morning training all the way around," said Mott. "He seems to still be going around the racetrack good. You just hope that you're dealing with a horse that's genetically capable of dealing with the mile and a half. I think we have that."

Mott's illustrious career has spanned decades, with a dizzying number of accolades, but the veteran horseman admits he still feels the intensity of gearing up for a Triple Crown race.

"We maybe put a little bit of pressure on ourselves, but that's because we're anxious to run and anxious to win," he said. "You don't want to make any mistakes. You get on edge with every move because you don't want to make a mistake. You know once you get him over there, there's nothing you can do. You turn him over to the rider and you race. We can't ride him. 

"Our job is to get him there safely, in one piece, and feeling good," he added. "That's why we get uptight. For me, it's not about winning or losing, it's getting him there to give him an opportunity to show what he can do. If I get butterflies or get on edge, it's worrying about screwing something up."

Hofburg's growing fan base will also have butterflies Saturday, but they should know leaving the far turn whether or not their Belmont darling will be in with a chance. Contrary to popular belief, it has historically not been advantageous to be a deep closer in the 1 ½-mile race, and ideally, Mott would like his charge to be within a few lengths at the quarter pole.

"I don't want to give him too much to do through the stretch," the trainer said. "[Hofburg's jockey] Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] and I will talk tomorrow morning. We're drawn in the middle. I like our post position, but you never know until they open the gates."