Hansen wires Juvenile

Dr. Kendall Hansen and Sky Chai Racing's Hansen dominated his initial

two starts on the synthetic Polytrack at Turfway Park, and successfully

transferred that form to the fast main track at Churchill Downs on

Saturday when wiring the $1,818,000

Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The Mike

Maker pupil withstood the game run of even-money favorite Union Rags in

the 1 1/16-mile test, just keeping his head in front on the wire with

Ramon Dominguez aboard.

"We pointed to the Breeders' Cup before he ever ran," Maker said. "I

only told that to the owners, and they're as crazy as I am.

"He's a natural. Obviously his performance speaks for itself," the

horseman asserted. "That's the way he wants to run and we weren't going

to change a thing. It's just that natural ability. Obviously he's got a

lot of speed and he's always shown it. He's also got a lot of fight; a

bunch of good characteristics.

Hansen went straight to the front when the gates opened, setting

splits of :23 1/5, :47 1/5, 1:12 1/5 and 1:37 3/5. Union Rags was biding

his time in midpack before going after the longtime leader while

circling wide rounding the turn. Union Rags continued down the center of

the track and ducked slightly to the outside while Hansen kept to his

inside position. The eventual winner just held his rival on the wire

while completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 2/5.

"They were wide on the first turn; they were wide on the second turn,"

trainer Michael Matz said of Union Rags' run. "He (jockey Javier Castellano)

said the other horse had it his own way, and he (Union Rags) galloped out good

and strong. He said, 'one more jump and we would have had him.'

"I didn't get a good draw. I guess that's racing. What are you going to do?

It's one of those things. I wish I had an answer for you. It's disappointing,

that's for sure, but I guess that's horseracing."

"One jump after the wire, I was in front," Castellano lamented. "But that's

horse racing. I'm disappointed in the result, but I'm not disappointed in my

horse. He ran a wonderful race; tried hard all the way. I give the winner a lot

of credit. He ran fast early, and he held on. You have to give him credit."

Completing the order of finish were Take Charge Indy, Crusade, Fort Loudon, Optimizer,

Speightscity, Drill, Alpha, Daddy Long Legs and Prospective.