Hansen did not have it easy early
Annice Johnson, who operates Kentucky-based Land o’Goshen Farm shares a story regarding the 2011 juvenile champion and the major contender of the 2012 138th running of the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Hansen.
The 3-year-old light gray Tapit colt, did not have it easy in his early years, and Annice Johnson witnessed at Land o’Goshen Farm, where Hansen was foaled and raised, that you don’t see every day.
Hansen had a troubled time surviving his own mother, who was not a good mother. Stormy Sunday by Sir Cat, had another foal a year before Hansen, called, Tapanna, in 2008, and her behavior with Tapanna was the worst.
“The first foal she tried to kill and then when we took the foal away from her for a little bit, she decided she would kill us instead,” Johnson said. “I almost got a nurse mare, but finally she sort of settled down and she tolerated him nursing. With Hansen,
she was a little better than with the first one, but she was never going to be Mother of the Year.”
“She would never share her feed tub with either baby,” Johnson continued. “They learned real quick not to even look at her feed tub; they would just step away.”
However, despite the constant torment from his mother, Hansen seemed like someone, who detached himself from all his motherly woes and thrived anyway.
He turned out to be an easy to handle colt, more agreeable than any on the farm, and most of people liked them not because of his light gray colour, because he just too attractive.
Hansen was a bit dark as a weanling, and when it was time for Hansen to part with his mother, there was no drama there. Hard to tell who was happier, but according to Johnson there wasn’t any vocalization from either side.
Johnson further on to say that Hansen was a willing learner, and when he was able to break he learned his lessons quickly, and now under Michael Maker’s training Hansen will compete in the Kentucky Derby under the banner of Dr. Kendall E. Hansen who owns
the colt in partnership with Sky Chai Stable.
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