Hansen,
2011’s Eclipse champion 2-year-old male, will make his next start in the
Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham, run at 1 1/16 miles over the inner track at Aqueduct
Racetrack on Saturday, March 3, according to Dr. Harvey Diamond, founder and
racing manager of Skychai Racing, part-owner of Hansen along with Dr. Kendall
Hansen.
“We felt that the Gotham was a
good spot and the timing was excellent,” Diamond said of the Michael
Maker-trained colt. “We would love to take a shot at the Big
Apple.”
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After an undefeated 3-for-3 campaign last year that culminated with a
narrow victory over Union Rags in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at
Churchill Downs, Hansen’s 2012 debut did not go as expected.
On January 29, the striking gray son of Tapit stumbled badly at the
start of the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream
Park, rushed up to take
the lead through an opening-half mile in 45.67, and was not able to fend off
Algorithms in the stretch, finishing second by four lengths.
“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. We are not taking anything away from Algorithms. He is a super horse
and was better that day than Hansen. We just hope that on Gotham Day he will
settle himself in the gate and show the Hansen that we all know he is.”
Diamond added that after the Gotham, there are a number of possible
options, including the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Resorts World New York City Casino
Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on Saturday, April 7 and the Grade 3 Vinery Racing
Spiral Stakes at Turfway
Park on March 24.
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