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Hansen tours easy half-mile Undefeated two-year-old Hansen got back to work for the first time since upsetting Breeders' Cup Juvenile, breezing an easy half-mile in :53 at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. A flashy gray by Tapit, the Mike Maker pupil won his only two previous starts by a combined 25 1/2 lengths over Turfway Park's Polytrack. Hansen made his first start on dirt in the November 5 Juvenile at Churchill Downs, where he posted a thrilling wire-to-wire head victory over favorite Union Rags. His connections and racing fans await the results of Eclipse Award balloting, as the vote is expected to be close between him and Union Rags. Hansen could make his sophomore debut in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream on January 29. Christmas Eve morning was very busy for horsemen and clockers at racetracks and training centers throughout South Florida with most of the tracks closed on Sunday morning. Other high-profile names on the Gulfstream worktab included Grade 2 winner Mucho Macho Man, who sizzled a half-mile in a bullet :46 2/5, best of 95 at the distance, and multiple Grade 1 veteran Presious Passion, who clocked :51 4/5 on the comeback trail. At Palm Meadows, unbeaten champion Awesome Feather sped five fast-track furlongs in 1:00 3/5. The Chad Brown filly extended her record to a perfect eight-for-eight in the Grade 1 Gazelle last out. Nick Zito's well-regarded juvenile Casual Trick blitzed his five panels in a bullet :59 3/5, fastest of 56 at the trip, in advance of his projected stakes debut in the Gulfstream Park Derby on January 1. Soldat, who headed to the sidelines over the summer, posted his first work back by covering three-eighths in :36. A big name at Gulfstream last winter, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee won an allowance race by 10 3/4 lengths and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes. The son of War Front went on to finish a disappointing fifth as the favorite behind Dialed In in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and 11th when last seen in the Kentucky Derby. Also for McLaughlin, multiple Grade 1 queen It's Tricky went in :39, in her first move since her runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. Grade 1 comebacker Awesome Maria took a half-mile spin in :49 4/5, Grade 1 Diana queen Zagora strode in :48 3/5, and multiple Grade 1 scorer Teaks North, exiting an eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, zipped in :47 1/5.
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