Hansen's Victory is First Winner for Hansen
Description:
Hansen's Victory went gate to wire in the first race at Hastings Race Course June 5 and became the first winner for U.S. champion and South Korean-based freshman sire Hansen.
A 7-year-old son of Tapit—Stormy Sunday, by Sir Cat, Hansen stands for the Korean Racing Association, to whom he was sold for stud duty after standing his initial season in 2013 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud, near Versailles, Ky. There are 102 2-year-olds in his first crop.
Raced by breeder Kendall Hansen and Skychai Racing, Hansen retired with a 5-2-0 record from nine starts and earnings of $1,810,805. He won all three starts at age 2—the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and Kentucky Cup Juvenile after breaking his maiden by an eye-catching 12 1/4 lengths at Turfway Park—and was named the year's champion 2-year-old male. At age 3, he won Gotham and Iowa Derby (both gr. III) and finished second in the Holy Bull (gr. III and Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I).
Hansen's Victory, trained by Troy Taylor for a partnership that includes the North American Thoroughbred Horse Co., won by 1 3/4 lengths while covering the 3 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race in :39.97 on a fast track. The bay gelding was bred in Kentucky by 3480 Equine from the multiple stakes-winning Storm Victory mare Victory With Class.
In a prelude to Hansen's first runners hitting the racetrack, an unnamed filly out of Ablaze, by Forest Camp, won at the historic Aiken Trials March 19 in South Carolina. Owner John Behrendt's gray or roan filly ran a quarter mile in :23. 2/5 in capturing the Gaver Trophy for trainer Arch Kingsley.