Connections hopeful about Hansen’s second start of the year in the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes on 3rd March at Aqueduct
Hansen is stepping out for the Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham Stakes on 3rd March at Aqueduct after suffering through the defeat in the Grade 3, Holy Bull Stakes which also marked as the seasonal debut for Hansen, who was a heavy favourite for the race.
The newly turned three-year-old colt owned by Kendall E. Hansen, Sky Chai Stable tasted is first defeat in the Grade 3, Holy Bull Stakes on 29th January at Gulfstream Park, raced over a mile. After a troubled start, the colt put in all he had
to rush through the distance and managed finishing the closest to the winner of the race, Algorithms. The winner made it to the wire in a minute and :36.17 seconds.
Owing to the difficult start that Hansen made after almost getting stumbled, a second position was the most decent approach he could have taken which obviously was only second to the best.
The champion juvenile’s 2011 campaign comprised of three for three starts which qualified him for a hat trick.
After winning the five and a half furlong maiden stakes on 9th September 2011 at Turfway Park, Hansen moved on to claiming the Kentucky Cup Juvenile on 24th September at Turfway Park again, which was raced over 1 1/16 miles.
The three-year-old colt of Tapit out of Stormy Sunday took the streak to a trio by winning the final start of the season. The Grade 1, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile was dominated by Hansen on 5th November at Churchill Downs over 1 1/16 mile. It was a
challenging one with Union Rags closing right in by mere margins.
“We felt that the Gotham was a good spot and the timing was excellent,” Diamond said of the Mike Maker-trained colt. “We would love to take a shot at the Big Apple.”
“We would like to get a better start in the Gotham,” Diamond said. “We don’t want to make excuses, but when you think about it he probably ran the first quarter a second faster than what the timer showed. He ran two really fast quarters and that affected
him in the latter stages”.
Luckily for Hansen, the connections still do have confidence in him and understand the limitations that led him to missing that one race. After the Gotham, he is pointed for the Grade 1, Florida Derby on 31st March and then the Grade 1, Kentucky
Derby on 5th May 2012.
Tags: