Breaking News: Hansen Likely Retired After Tendon Injury

Another big hit was suffered by the American three-year-old colt division this morning when the Courier-Journal reported that Hansen has suffered a tendon injury and is likely retired.

The horse’s majority owner Kendall Hansen sent a text to the Courier-Journal saying “I am in shock … and tears and heartbroken.”

The Eclipse Two-Year-Old Champion was pointing towards the Travers Stakes on Saturday.

Last year, Hansen went undefeated with two stakes wins in three starts. His highlight of the year, and probably his career was his victory over the now-retired Union Rags in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

In 2012, Hansen raced six times with victories in the G3 Holy Bull Stakes and G3 Iowa Derby. He raced in the G1 Kentucky Derby in May, finishing ninth in the race. He came back almost two months later to win the Iowa Derby easily by 10 lengths.

Hansen joins a trio of high profile 3-year-old retirees this season with Kentucky Derby runner-up Bodemeister’s retirement announced yesterday.

Out of the Sir Cat mare Stormy Sunday, a mare that won three of her four starts, Hansen is by the red-hot sire Tapit.

While no official word has been released that Hansen definitely retired, the DRF’s David Grening tweeted that the horse has a 20 to 30 percent tear of the tendon.

According to Equibase, Hansen’s last recorded work came on August 18. In his nine-race career, Hansen has won three graded stakes and one ungraded stakes victory in addition to his maiden victory with two places on his record as well for $1,810,805 in earnings.