4/14 (KEE): Blue Grass, Wiley (G1's), Comm (G2), Shakertown (G3)

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Hansen ran really well in defeat. He's so much better than I originally thought.

I agree that he's better now, but Mike Maker is just horrible with debuters. His horses typically run abysmal first-out and start developing rapidly 3rd or 4th time out...especially routing.

Look at Blue Grass 3rd place finisher Gung Ho. He was 3rd by 9 at Indiana Downs with a 25 Beyer in his debut. He broke his maiden 2nd time out at PID with a 49 Beyer.

I tried to justify Stately Victor as my Kentucky Derby pick by focusing only on his fairly good 2nd place finish on dirt in his 2yo debut at Saratoga in a race that was rained off-the-grass.

I've had horses come out of 2yo sales who I knew were lightening fast -- and they'd debut for Maker and get beat 15 lengths with no excuse. By the 4th start they're high quality alw or stakes horses.

I guess it's not as extreme as it once was with Maker stats wise ... but you really have to project so much future improvment with his runners. To be honest, I don't think he's ever had a horse who was near as strong on form as Hansen was after two races.