Hansen and O’Prado Again back on the track ahead of their sophomore season in 2012
The 2-year-old colt, Hansen, winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his wire to wire victory over Union Rags on 5 November, 2011, at Churchill Downs at about 1 1/16 miles on the dirt track, is back out for training said trainer Michael J. Maker.
The Kentucky bred son of Tapit, out of mare Stormy Sunday by Sir Cat, Hansen is undefeated in his 3 starts and he concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a win in the Breeders’ Cup. Prior to the big win, Hansen, won the Kentucky Cup Juvenile at Turfway Park
on 24 September, 2011, at about 1 1/16 miles on cushion track.
Since the Breeders’ Cup, Hansen has been taking it easy. “He never left my barn, but he just took it easy after the Breeders’ Cup,” reported Maker who is scheduled to arrive here later in the week. “We’ll see how it goes over the next several weeks. We’ll
take a look at the Holy Bull, and if he’s ready, he’s ready. If not, we’ll probably just wait for the Fountain of Youth.”
The Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes will be run over a distance of 1 mile on Gulfstream Park’s dirt course on 29 January, 2012, and the race is exclusive for 3-year-old males.
Michael Maker will look to put Hansen on the Kentucky Derby trail, before a series of races leading up to the Triple Crown’s first leg.
On the other hand O’Prado Again after his win in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes on 26 November, 2011, was out on the track for some routine exercises over the weekend.
“I was going to breeze him over the weekend, but decided to wait until the first of the year,” Romans said when asked about O’Prado Again’s upcoming training schedule. “He’ll have two starts before the Derby, but just when or where they’ll be hasn’t been
determined yet.”
The 2-year-old son of El Prado, out of mare Leh She Run by Pulpit, O’Prado Again broke his maiden in fourth asking, while finishing sixth, seventh and third in the previous three attempts but finally managed to break it in his fourth attempt at Keeneland.
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