After a disappointing ninth-place finish in the 2012 Kentucky Derby, Gotham Stakes winner Hansen will not be running in the second leg of the Triple Crown at the 2012 Preakness Stakes (via Blood Horse).
Majority owner Dr. Kendall Hansen said on Monday that his three-year-old will skip the Preakness Stakes as two weeks rest would not be enough recovery time for the 1 3/16-mile race. The next race for Hansen now could be the seven-furlong Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. on June 9.
Without Hansen, and and Brimstone Island, which also exited the Preakness field, the field for the race could be 11 or 12 horses. The maximum is 14 entries so there shouldn't be any exclusions this week.
-- Follow this StoryStream for complete Preakness coverage throughout the week. Also visit SB Nation's And Down The Stretch They Come for news and analysis as the race approaches.