Hansen Turning Heads

Hansen turned heads at Turfway Park when he demolished a group of juvenile colts in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes. He traveled 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.83.  Just two weeks earlier, the Michael Maker trainee dispatched maidens in similar fashion over the Polytrack. Hansen won his racing debut by 12 ¼ lengths, getting 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.12. 

HANSEN (Tapit - Stormy Sunday, by Sir Cat) so far is emulating his sire Tapit on the racetrack. Tapit was a lightly raced colt, competing only six times and wining half of his starts. At two, he won his maiden by 7 ¾ lengths and the Grade 3 Laurel Futurity by 4 ¾ lengths.  As a three year old, the son of Pulpit was sent directly into the Florida Derby (G-1) without benefit of a prep race. He finished a well-beaten sixth behind Friends Lake. In his following start, Tapit came from last to win the Wood Memorial by a thrilling ½ a length. Entering the Kentucky Derby with only two prep races under his girth, Tapit finished a non-threatening ninth behind the popular favorite, Smarty Jones. Rested after the Kentucky Derby, Tapit made his sixth and final career start in the Pennsylvania Derby (G-2). He bobbled at the start, sat three lengths behind the leaders, but tired to finish ninth. Although he was sound, Tapit was retired a month later. 

Tapit was off to a tremendous start at stud when he sired two Champions right off the bat. Stardom Bound, a daughter from Tapit’s first crop, earned Juvenile Filly Championship honors in 2006 after earning wins in five consecutive Grade 1 events, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.   Tapit’s son As De Trebol earned honors as Spain’s Champion Juvenile in the same year. Currently, Tapit is one of the top ranked third crop sires. His two year old’s lifetime win rate is an above average 19%.

Hansen’s dam Stormy Sunday was also lightly raced. Making all four of her starts as a three year old, Stormy Sunday retired with a 4-3-0-1 $33,046 record. She didn’t earn any blacktype. As a broodmare, Stormy Sunday has produced only two foals of racing age. Hansen’s full brother Tapanna has made five starts, all in maiden races and ironically, won his maiden on the same day at Turfway where his younger brother Hansen recoded his runaway victory in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile.  Hanson is the first blacktype winner in his female family in five generations. 

Sir Cat, Hansen’s damsire, was a Grade 2/3 class runner. His best wins came in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes and Appleton Handicap, both Grade 2 affairs contested at 1 1/16 miles.  The son of Storm Cat also won three Grade 3 contests held at 1 1/8 miles.  Although Sir Cat won three races over the dirt, including the Knickerbocker Handicap (G-3) over a sloppy track, the lion’s share of Sir Cat’s stakes victories came over the turf.  

Sir Cat stood at stud in the U.S. for seven years before transferring to Chile. As a broodmare sire, Sir Cat is represented by Santa Anita Oaks (G-1) heroine Crisp and four listed stakes winners. 

Hansen and his full brother Tapanna are the only runners bred upon the Tapit/Sir Cat cross. However, Tapit has a strong history with mares by Storm Cat and his sons.  The graded stakes winning mares Careless Jewel,  Tell A Kelly and Dancinginherdreams are all out of daughters of Storm Cat sires.  

The light gray Hansen resembles his sire physically. He isn’t overly large or muscular, but will likely fill out as a three year old. Hansen’s gait shows good extension and he has a quick stride with fairly high knee action. He has the high cruising speed seen in top runners such as Smarty Jones, Big Brown and Barbaro.  Whether Hansen has the class of these individuals remains to be seen.  It’s difficult to ascertain Hansen’s talent as the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes was comprised of mostly last out maiden winners and a stakes placed runner. Distance wise, Hansen should handle 1 1/8 miles and is borderline for 1 ¼ miles. The first three generations of Hansen’s pedigree are filled with dirt attributes, however, runners with the Tapit/Storm Cat bloodline cross are extremely versatile and Hansen should handle most surfaces without difficulty.  Hansen’s owner Kendall Hansen stated that the colt will train up to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, but with no graded stakes earnings, he may not make the cut.