Trainer Bill Mott wanted, an easy spot to give Hofburg a confidence boosting victory prior to the Travers. And he got just that in Friday's $100,000 Curlin, with Hofburg dominating four totally overmatched rivals, registering a very popular five length decision over Nicodemus with the field strung out nearly a sixteenth of a mile from first to last over the sloppy track. Zing Zang finished third. 

Hofburg, makiing his first start since a third place finish in the Belmont Stakes, completed a mile and one eighth in 1:50.18 under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and paid $2.50.