Elate puts in final touches for Personal Ensign Stakes

On a day Bill Mott announced that Curlin winner Hofburg won't run in the Travers, the Hall of Fame trainer watched Elate put in her final workout before Saturday's Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga.

Elate covered four furlongs in 49.60 seconds over the Oklahoma training track on a cool, sunny Sunday morning.

"She just needed a little blowout, and that's what we got,'' said Mott. "I think 49 for her over this track and a nice five-eighths gallop-out in 1:02 is enough to maintain fitness and keep her sharp enough for the race. And it's not too fast, because you don't want to leave their race out there in the morning.''

Elate, coming into the Personal Ensign off an impressive win in the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap after an eight-month break, will be taking on Grade 1 Ogden Phipps winner Abel Tasman. The Bob Baffert-trained filly worked five furlongs in 1:01 at Del Mar on Sunday morning.

Other Mott workers on Sunday included Grade 1 Sword Dancer hopeful Channel Maker (four furlongs, :48.97) and Mucho (four furlongs, :48.87), who is on schedule for the Grade 1 Hopeful on September 3.

"They both worked really well,'' said Mott.

Hofburg, who won the Curlin in his last start, spiked a fever and was off the training list the last two days, leading Mott to make the decision not to run.

"We're not going to force ourselves into the Travers,'' he said.