By Claire Novak and Ron Mitchell
Last year's juvenile champion Hansen has been ruled out of consideration for the Aug. 25 Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course with an injured tendon and likely will not race again, according to his co-owner, Dr. Kendall Hansen.
"This is the day I have always dreaded," Hansen told The Blood-Horse. "Hansen has a tendon injury and will likely not race again... I am in shock, and with tears and heartbroken."
Trainer Michael Maker declared the colt out of the Travers Aug. 22, saying "He had some inflammation in his left front leg this morning and is not running."
Owned by Hansen and Skychai Racing, the gray son of Tapit was undefeated as a 2-year-old including a win in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). This year he added two grade III victories to his resume from six starts; the Gotham Stakes earlier in the season after running second in the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. II), and the Iowa Derby (gr. III) on June 30.
Between those wins were a runner-up finish to Dullahan in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) and a ninth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). In his last start, the colt ran fourth in the Aug. 4 West Virginia Derby (gr. II).
Hansen is a homebred out of the Sir Cat mare Stormy Sunday.