Hansen, one of the most intriguing horses currently running
on the Derby trail of 2012, will be looking for redemption this Saturday, in
the 1 1/16 Gotham Stakes. A son Tapit, the nearly white colt was last seen
finishing a well beaten second to Algorithms in the Holy Bull Stakes. That day
he stumbled out of the gate, grabbed the bit and rushed up to take the lead,
setting ridiculous fractions. His 22 and change second quarter all but set the
race up for the winner that day.
After such an inauspicious start to his three year old
campaign, the connections of Hansen decided that some changes needed to be
made. Firstly, they decided that a switch back to Hansen’s original ring bit
was in order. In the Holy Bull he wore a snaffle, a bit that the connections
felt was too severe on their charge, who is known for his free, front running
style. The second, last, and most important change is the subtraction of Hansen’s
trademark blinkers.
In his early training, Hansen was unfocused. Trainer Mike
Maker has said that the colt used to weave, duck and dive all directions during his
morning workouts on the track. That lack of focus brought the addition of
blinkers, which improved Hansen’s focus. He wore them in all three of his 2011
starts, winning them all, including beating the recent Fountain of Youth
winner, Union Rags, in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Hoping that Hansen now
has learned to focus on his own, the connections remove the blinkers in hopes
that Hansen will relax more kindly after making the lead, or possibly even
relax off of the pace.
Hansen obviously has the talent, the speed, and the heart to
compete on the Triple Crown trail, but he needs to show that he has the mind to
relax this Saturday, for that will be the key to his ability to stay the
Classic distances. We know that he can run the competition off their feet going
1 1/16miles, and as a two year old his speed was so far superior that he could
burn off most of his opponents before the stretch, but at three he is playing a
whole new ballgame. He cannot have a repeat of the Holy Bull Stakes, where he
panicked after stumbling and caused his own downfall.
In the Gotham, Hansen drew post 12 of 13 horses. This could
either help him or hurt him. Should he not relax and gun for the lead he will
have to use every ounce of his speed to clear the 11 horses to his inside
before switching off. He already proved that once given the cue to go, that he
is a very hard horse to rein back in. His other option would be to break
sharply, use his natural speed to get a comfortable stalking/pressing position.
Hopefully, without blinkers, being to the outside of his competitors, and
switching back to his old bit, will help Hansen relax and run a race similar to
option B.
With the patient Ramon Dominguez aboard, along with the
other changes, I do believe Hansen will be able to relax. Chances are he got
what he needed out of the Holy Bull and is now ready to run like the
professional racehorse we all saw in 2011. If he does, he’ll primed and ready
for his third and final prep, wherever that may be, before entering what should
be a highly competitive and competitive Kentucky Derby.