Dr. Kendall Hansen campaigned the eponymous Hansen to a two-year-old title in 2011 and a Kentucky Derby (G1) run the following year. He could make a reappearance at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May courtesy of Fast and Accurate, a son of the champion horse Hansen, who fended off late rallies from several rivals to take Saturday’s $500,000 Spiral (G3) at Turfway Park as a 24-1 longshot.
A ground saving third behind non-coupled stablemate En Hanse through splits of :23.22, :46.36, and 1:10.22, Fast and Accurate bid for the lead under around the far turn Tyler Gaffalione, overtaking the tiring leader and second choice Parlor. Opening up a one-length advantage in mid-stretch, the gray held sway to win by three parts of a length over 35-1 chance Blueridge Traveler, with 10-1 shot Convict Pike a half-length farther back in third. Kitten’s Cat, the 5-2 favorite, ran fourth.
Trained by Mike Maker, Fast and Accurate paid $51 and covered 1 1/8 miles on the Polytrack in 1:50.96.
The win was worth $285,000 to Fast and Accurate, $200,000 of which would need to be spent on a supplementary fee to make the colt Triple Crown nominated and eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby, which the owner said he would be ready to pay.
In addition to the 50 Derby qualifying points earned by Fast and Accurate, Blueridge Traveler earned 20 points, Convict Pike 10 points, and Kitten’s Cat five points.
This was the third win in six starts for Fast and Accurate, who ran a distant second in his debut over Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs last August, and then ran fourth in a Pennsylvania-bred stakes over the same track. Fifth when adding blinkers in a Parx maiden in October, the colt rebounded to beat $30,000 maiden claimers at Turfway going a mile on December 4 when adding Lasix.
Fast and Accurate made his season debut February 20 at Gulfstream, winning the $60,000 Sage of Monticello starter stakes by 2 3/4 lengths going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf. He’s now earned $340,362.
Bred in Pennsylvania by John Penn, Fast and Accurate was sold for $85,000 as an OBS April juvenile. He was produced by the Green Dancer mare It’s Heidi’s Dance, a half-sister to Grade 2 winners My Pal Charlie and Bwana Charlie, and Grade 3 scorer Bwana Bull. Grade 3 victor Cinco Charlie also hails from this family.
