it'is exasperating that hansen is getting poo-pooed, given that the farthest any of watchmaker's top five 2 year olds has gone so far is 6 furlongs, and that there is a world of difference between 6 furlongs and a mile and 1/16, and given that hansen went a mile and 1/16 in only his 2nd start, after having just raced 2 weeks before, while under a hand ride the entire way and setting some of the fastest internal fractions of the day. it doesn't really matter that hansen beat nothing--he was running his own race from start to finish, after taking the lead from the far outside post.
his final time may have been uninspiring, but he wasn't asked for anything in the stretch--and really, who, besides a sadist would press a horse for a showy time, when you've already got the race in hand by a baker's dozen?
if he's the real deal, he will be god-send for the sport--the general public will fall in love with this rare white thoroughbred (i know he's really grey, but he's the palest grey 2 yr old i've ever seen, and will probably be truly white by the KY derby), who runs with abandon, leaving the field far behind him. he's like something out of a disney movie.
anyway, i have a feeling that if hansen had done this in ny, he'd be hailed the next jesus-horse. after all THAS only had to win one allowance race after having been soundly beaten repeatedly, for no reason other than that he sucked, by the other 3 yr olds last spring, in order to be reborn as the next worldbeater and catapulted to the 3rd best 3 yo just for winning one race while carrying 10 lbs less weight than the fast closing 2nd (who didn't do anything all year but win the belmont ffs)....i have to go back to following racing in bubble...the want of logic and excess of hypocrisy does nothing but upset me...
