Michael Maker trains Hansen in the gate for the Blue Grass Stakes
The 2-year-old champion of 2011, Hansen, faces his biggest test in the Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, and veteran trainer Michael Maker is aware of it, and gave some lessons to the nearly white 3-year-old colt in the gate to avoid what happened in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes.
On the morning of 13 April, 2012, Hansen after being schooled on how to get going without a mishap in the Blue Grass Stakes, Maker was done and exercise rider Joe Sharp took on as the juvenile champ went through his paces.
Michael Maker is doing just the right thing here, making sure that its not a disaster start like the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes where Hansen stumble coming off the gate and then led, but gave too much in the beginning he lost Algorithms in the end.
However, there is another story that pushed a schooling lesson right after the post draws, because the Blue Grass Stakes has reeled in a massive 13 horse field, the second largest in the history of the 88th running of the Blue Grass Stakes, and Hansen has drawn post number 4.
It is going to be ugly if Hansen stumbles, because if he does a bulk of horses will come crushing down on him at the start of the race to get closer to the rail.
It will be in the end all about timing, and the front wheeler that Hansen is, if he comes out perfect he’ll beat the rest and assume a better position for himself to do whatever he has to do in the rest of the race, but if he misses his mark than that could spur up many scenarios, and not one would be going in Hansen’s favour.
So, Maker’s emphasis on the getting-out-of-the-gate part has been truly justified. Hansen was seen easily galloping over the Keeneland’s poly track, a track that he loves, and the proof of that is his first two career races.
Gung Ho, Hansen’s stable mate joined the party after Hansen had galloped for 1 ½ miles, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Gung Ho is going to be under three times Blue Grass Stakes winning jockey, Edgar Prado.
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