THE WOODFORD SUN, Versailles, Ky. March 29, 2012 B8 Hansen to run in Blue Grass Stakes Went the Day Well, Daddy Nose Best win big BY RICK CAPONE WOODFORD SUN SPORTS EDITOR Two big three-year-old races took place across the country from each other this past weekend. Last Thursday, March 22, the connections of Hansen, On Saturday, March 24, the 2011 Two-Year-Old Champion and one of the top Went the Day Well, with jockey three-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby trail, called an John Velazquez riding, won the audible. $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Instead of running in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) Stakes (G3) on Turfway Park’s on April 7 at Aqueduct, his connections decided to run synthetic Polytrack surface. their colt in the 88th running of the $750,000 Toyota Blue The win should give the colt Grass Stakes (G1) on April 14. enough graded stakes earn- Hansen, who is out of Tapit-Stormy Sunday, by Sir Cat, ings to get into the Kentucky is currently boarded at Churchill Downs, where he will prep Derby. for the Blue Grass Stakes and the Kentucky Derby. Went the Day Well is owned “There are several reason why we elected to run Hansin by Team Valor and trained by in the Toyota Blue Grass,” said Dr. Kendall E. Hansen, Graham Motion, the team who Hansen’s owner and breeder in a Keeneland press release. also won the Spiral Stakes last “Foremost is that the horse will have to travel less and we year with Animal Kingdom, think that is safer for him. If we win, Hansen will have who went on to win the Ken- Grade I victories on both all-weather and dirt surfaces. tucky Derby with Velazquez It also allows us to stay home in familiar surroundings. riding. Could history repeat And, very importantly, since a majority of his fan base is itself? in Kentucky, it gives them a chance to see him run.” Then, on Sunday, March “We’re extremely pleased to have the two-year-old 25, the Bob Baffert-trained champion from last year in the Toyota Blue Grass,” added Daddy Nose Best, with jockey Roger Beasley, vice president of racing at Keeneland, in Martin Garcia riding, won the the release. $800,000 Sunland Derby (G3) Hansen had an undefeated two-year-old campaign in at Sunland Racetrack in Sun- 2011, scoring two wins at Turfway Park, then pulling land Park, N.M., which earned off an exciting victory in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup him a spot in the Kentucky WENT THE DAY WELL, top, won the Vinery Rac- Juvenile (G1) at Churchill Downs, where he beat favored Derby as well. Union Rags. Baffert has won the Ken- ing Spiral Stakes (G3) at To start his three-year-old season, he fi nished second tucky Derby three times with Turfway Park on Saturday, in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream in January, Silver Charm in 1997, Real March 24, which gave Team then rebounded with a solid victory in the Gotham Stakes Quiet in 1998 and War Emblem Valor its second consecu- (G3) at Aqueduct in March. in 2002. Teamed with Garcia, tive win in the race. With Down through history, 21 horses that have run in the the duo won the 2010 Preak- the win, the Proud Citizen Blue Grass Stakes have gone on to win the Kentucky ness with Lookin At Lucky. three-year-old earned a Derby. Most recently, in 2007, Street Sense fi nished Could Baffert, who suffered spot in this year’s Ken- second in the Blue Grass Stakes and then won the Derby a heart attack in Dubai on tucky Derby. Team Valor under jockey Calvin Borel. Monday and is recovering won the Spiral Stakes last Some other horses that have run in the Blue Grass Stakes well, win his fourth Kentucky year with Animal King- and then won the Derby include Thunder Gulch (1995), Derby this year? dom, who went on to win Sea Hero (1993), Strike the Gold (1991), Unbridled (1990), The performances of both the Kentucky Derby. Then Alysheba (1987), Gato del Sol (1982), Spectacular Bid horses this past weekend were on Sunday, March 25, at (1979), Riva Ridge (1972) and Dust Commander (1970), impressive. Here’s how they Sunland Racetrack in Sun- to name just a few. unfolded. land Park, N.M., Daddy At Turfway, Went the Day (Photo by Adam Mooshian / Coglianese Photos) Well stayed in mid-pack of Nose Best, middle, also the 12-horse race, took the earned a spot in the Ken- lead in the stretch and then tucky Derby with his win pulled away for a 3-1/2 length in the $800,000 Sunland PERFORMANCE Horse victory over second-place Derby (G3), while Princess Textured or Pelleted Feed fi nisher Holiday Promise, and Arabella, bottom, scored third-place finisher Heavy an eight-length victory in 11% PROTEIN • 10% FAT • 12% FIBER Breathing. the $200,000 Sunland Park at Versailles Farm, Home & Garden The Proud Citizen-Tiz Oaks. (Photo of Went the Maie’s Day, by Tiznow, colt Day Well by Bryan Oliver; Dealer fi nished the 1-1/8th-mile race photos of Daddy Nose Best 124 Frankfort Street • Versailles • 873-8126 in 1:51.33. and Princess Arabella by “I was very impressed with Coady Photography) him,” Motion said. “Apart from a little greenness (in the Promise, who had overtaken impressive six lengths over Best now has four wins in 10 stretch), he couldn’t have been Heavy Breathing in the stretch, second-place fi nisher Dancing starts, two seconds, one third better. When Animal Kingdom who dropped back to third. Solo. Toxis fi nished third. and $633,623 in earnings. He won this race last year, he was “When he got the lead, Out of Empire Maker-a also won the El Camino Real very explosive, but this horse he started waiting (on other Chat, by Storm Cat, In Lingerie Derby (G3) at Golden Gate was a little explosive, too. I horses) and lugging in, and ran the one mile race on the Park earlier this year. hate to compare the two be- then (he switched leads and) Polytrack in 1:38.28. In the Sunland Derby, he cause they are such different just went on,” Velazquez said Owned by Eclipse Thor- broke from the gate and then horses. in describing the colt’s green- oughbred Partners and Gary settled in sixth place in the “The beauty of (the timing ness mentioned by Motion. Barber, and trained by Pletcher, eight-horse field down the of) this race is you have the “He still doesn’t know very In Lingerie now has two wins, back stretch. option to run him one more much. You can tell. As soon one second and $82,265 Coming around the fi nal time or not run him one more as he pulled out at the quarter in earnings in three career turn, Velazquez guided him time,” he continued. “Probably pole and he found himself on starts. between horses, then angled the only option (if he does run the lead, he didn’t know what Then at Sunland Park on him out three wide into the again) is the Lexington Stakes to do. So, I just encouraged him Sunday, Daddy Nose Best stretch, still back in the pack (at Keeneland on April 21). I to keep going forward. He did came charging down the in fi fth place. feel confi dent telling you this everything great today.” stretch, passed the race leaders Meanwhile, Isn’t He Clever, SPEEDACIOUS, left, with Miguel Mena aboard, horse will run in the Kentucky Holiday Promise, who is and drew away for a three- who had been up near the front and INSPIRED, right, ridden by Shaun Bridgmo- Derby.” owned by WinStar Farm near quarter length win over Isn’t of the pack in fourth, then third han charge down the stretch together to fi nish in a With the win, Went the Day Versailles, and Heavy Breath- He Clever in second and Stirred heading into the stretch, came dead heat in the 26th running of the Happy Ticket Well now has two wins and ing, the race favorite, are both Up in third. on strong and took a short lead, two seconds in fi ve starts and trained by Todd Pletcher. Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday, March 24. Trained by Steve Asmus- which he held for most of the (Photo by Hodges Photography / Lynn Roberts) $315,344. “I thought (Heavy Breath- sen, the Scat Daddy-Follow stretch. In the race, Went the Day ing) held on very well, con- Your Bliss, by Thunder Gulch, But, the day belonged to Well broke from the gate, sidering the quick fractions, colt ran the 1-1/8th-mile race Daddy Nose Best, who was According to Asmussen, 1-1/16th-mile dirt race in then was forwardly placed and I was pleased with his on the dirt in 1:48.59. roused by Velazquez nearing Daddy Nose Best will now ship 1:43.52. off the rail by Velazquez in performance,” Pletcher said. “I “We have plenty of reason the sixteenth pole, responded to Churchill to rest and prepare Princess Arabella, who is the fourth spot, while Heavy was (also) very happy with how for optimism,” said Asmussen well, then stormed down the for the Kentucky Derby, which out of Any Given Saturday- Breathing took the lead and Holiday Promise ran. I think after winning his fi rst Sunland track chasing the leaders.