TurfPublicists: GOTHAM (G3) QUOTES

Saturday, March 3, 2012

GOTHAM (G3) QUOTES

Michael Maker, winning trainer of Hansen (No. 12): “Obviously, I didn’t like losing all that ground, but of more concern to me was he didn’t leave the gate as quick as he normally has. But Ramon said it was no big deal, he settled nice and that’s what we were looking for. More impressive, he lost all that ground and wasn’t rank behind horses and settled. Ramon said [on] his gallop out, he had to call the outriders to come and get him. Great. He did everything perfect today, and I don’t have to be embarrassed after his last race. I hope we can keep him figured out for the next couple of months. [The Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial Grade 1, April 7], yes. That is why we came up here, with that in mind. I think I might take him back to Kentucky to train and come back.”

Ramon Dominguez, winning jockey aboard Hansen (No. 12): “He really took the step forward as far as maturing. He actually did it better than I expected – he was so relaxed. Coming to the three-eighths pole when he switched to his left lead and I got after him, he went on beautiful. He really did it as nice as I could expect. I was hoping that he could take the step forward, mind-wise, but he really took it further than I expected. Awesome. Galloped out like a freight train, too.”

Dr. Kendall Hansen, winning co-owner of Hansen (No. 12): “To see him relax and see him finish up strong, that’s really what I wanted. This is perfect. I’m a little bit more relaxed when he’s tucked in and just tracking another horse and just takes it easy.

“As far as running on [an off track], he’s bred for it. Tapits do well on that surface.

“I wish the timing was better for the Spiral [Turfway Park, G3, March 24]. I really want to run at my hometown track, and it’d be an odd circumstance where Mike says, ‘Gosh, we really have to run him in three weeks.’ That’s what I’d really like to do, but the Wood is a really famous race. A lot of history, and it’d be a real thrill to have a chance to win that. We don’t have to run again [before the Kentucky Derby]. We may make that decision, whatever is best for the horse. As long as everything stays on schedule, we’ll probably run him one more time. I think a mile and an eighth would be good for him to build up to a mile and a quarter.”

Dr. Harvey Diamond, winning co-owner of Hansen (No. 12): “I think he ran the race we felt he was capable of running, and I think Mike Maker made the correct move and made some adjustments. Ramon was also very helpful in making those adjustments. Obviously, he isn’t a one-dimensional horse. And he showed he can run on an off track, and I think we’ll move forward from here and hope and pray he comes out of this race sound and goes on to the next level.”

Kelly Breen, trainer of runner-up My Adonis (No. 1): “Hansen is a nice horse. They don’t win Breeders’ Cup races for nothing. Hopefully we’ll see him in four weeks [in the Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial] and we’ll do all that we can do to try and turn the tides. [My Adonis] will stay here, we have a barn over at Belmont. To me, he looked good; he sat in a good spot and we were outkicked. I thought [Hansen] got caught a little wide, and I thought we got a chance to save all the ground that we were in a good spot, but Ramon [Dominguez, aboard Hansen] did a great job guiding him to where he needed to be and he ran a nice race.”

Elvis Trujillo, rider of runner-up My Adonis (No. 1): “I had a very nice trip. I was saving ground, and on the turn, I had a lot of horse. I was happy with his effort.”