After Winning Court Case, Hansen Eyes Racing Return

Acquitted in court, Kendall Hansen plans a return to racing.

After prevailing in a case in which he was facing multiple federal charges related to distributing controlled substances from his former practice, the Northern Kentucky-based Hansen said he hopes to return to owning Thoroughbreds. Earlier this month, a jury found Hansen not guilty on six counts related to distribution of controlled substances. There was a mistrial on two other counts that would be dropped by the prosecution.

"On the 'not guilty' findings it was 12-0 votes by the jury. On the two charges where there was a hung jury, they polled the jury and it was 10-2 in my favor," Hansen said. "They dropped those two charges."

Court records show that March 1 the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Northern Division, Covington, accepted the government's motion to dismiss those final two charges and earlier records note the 'not guilty' findings on the other charges. The jury deliberated for 2 1/2 days, according to a web post by Hansen's attorney, Ronald W. Chapman II.

Hansen said March 1 that he hopes to renew his racing license as early as March 4.

"I let my owner's license lapse during all of this," Hansen said of shifting his focus to contesting the federal charges filed in November 2018 and dealing with the loss of income that followed as his successful practice, Interventional Pain Specialists in Crestview Hills, Ky., was shut down. 

Hansen maintained his innocence from the start of an extended trial on multiple federal charges related to distributing controlled substances out of his medical practice but the former Thoroughbred owner fully knew what he was up against.

"It's something like 3% of the people facing these charges prevail," Hansen said.

Hansen is best known as the breeder and co-owner of champion namesake Hansen , who he raced in partnership with Skychai Racing. Front-running Hansen, a son of Tapit  , dug in to hold off eventual classic winner Union Rags   to win the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill Downs to lock down the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male. 

Hansen also campaigned in partnership grade 3 winner Fast and Accurate , a son of Hansen.

Hansen stood his initial season at stud in 2013 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud before the Korean Racing Association purchased him for stud duty in that country.

Ahead of the 2012 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, fun-loving owner Hansen dyed blue the tail of his horse Hansen, who was registered as gray or roan but when he raced was nearly white to the eye. But when owner Hansen and trainer Mike Maker found out the horse could be scratched from the race because of the colored tail, they opted to remove the dye before the race.

Currently, In an effort to raise money, Hansen is auctioning off a 1991 Kentucky Derby (G1) trophy that he acquired at auction from the owners of Strike the Gold. Lelands Auctions has opened bidding on the trophy. On March 1 Lelands listed the online auction as continuing for 14 more days. Lelands notes that the trophy is the original one presented to the winning owners—B. Giles Brophy, William Condren, Joe Cornacchia—at Churchill.