Champion Two-Year-Old Male Hansen's travel plans for next
Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham are set, co-owner Dr. Kendall Hansen
said Friday.
Dr. Hansen said the colt will fly to New York
on February 29, the Wednesday before the Gotham, after turning in his final
breeze at Gulfstream
Park, possibly on Monday.
The doctor spoke of Hansen’s most recent workout, officially a 59.00
five-furlong breeze at Gulfstream on February 19, in glowing terms.
“His last breeze on Sunday was strong,” said Dr. Hansen,
who owns the colt in partnership with Dr. Harvey Diamond’s Sky Chai
Racing. “He actually ran another furlong, and we were pleased with that.
It was actually a six-furlong work. He was running 12-second furlongs, and
that’s his cruising speed. Since he put up a bullet last week, his next
breeze will probably be slower.”
Hansen, who capped his unbeaten 2-year-old campaign with a nose victory
in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, finished second, beaten five
lengths by Algorithms, in the Grade 3 Holy Bull after stumbling at the break.
The Gotham will be his second start of 2012.
“We had some bad luck last time, and people probably think
we’re beatable,” said Dr.Hansen. “We were about 75 percent
last time and were hoping for an easy spot, but we ran into a top horse in
Algorithms. [Hansen] is doing well right now. We’re at about 85 or 90
percent. Obviously, we want to peak in May.”
Dr. Hansen added that trainer Michael Maker has been working on getting
the son of Tapit to settle in his workouts and that the 1 1/16-mile Gotham, which is expected to draw a large field, will
test the colt’s ability to race in traffic.
“It’d be nice to see a few horses come to his side early,
and then have him lead by about three or four lengths at the quarter
pole,” said Dr. Hansen.
Dr. Hansen revealed Hansen’s demeanor has changed since the Holy
Bull, giving the owner confidence the colt will regain winning form.
“It’s going to be fun, and I think we have the horse to
beat,” said Dr. Hansen. “You don’t want to go against the
champion in his first start after a loss. He was really ticked off [after the
Holy Bull].”