Breen to send out Hans Sense vs. six rivals in the Queens County

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Kelly Breen had a strong 2018-19 winter meet at Aqueduct, winning nine races from 29 starters.

This winter, Breen has 16 head stabled in New York, led by Han Sense, a recent claim who will seek stakes success in Saturday’s $125,000 Queens County at 1 1/8 miles. Han Sense was one of seven entered Wednesday for the Queens County.

Breen claimed Han Sense for $50,000 for former major league baseball player Mike Napoli out of a winning effort at Keeneland on Oct. 16. In his first start for these connections, Han Sense finished a clear second behind millionaire Sunny Ridge in the $100,000 Richard Small Stakes at Laurel on Nov. 30.

“We’re still getting used to him but he seems like a nice horse,” Breen said Wednesday. “The mile and an eighth doesn’t seem to be that much of a problem for him.”

Han Sense is an Iowa-bred son of Hansen. He has the speed and figures to be prominent early under Julio Correa.

The Queens County field includes a former Breen trainee, Roaming Union, who won a $50,000 claiming race last winter for Breen. Others entered were Adventist, Backsideofthemoon, Bon Raison, Major Cabbie, and Stan the Man.

Breen’s New York contingent includes the promising 2-year-old filly Cofactor, who has won three in a row including the Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel. She is likely to make her next start in another stakes at Laurel before perhaps taking on New York stakes company.

Persisto, a 2-year-old daughter of Orb, and Am Impazible, a 3-year-old New York-bred filly, both finished second at the Aqueduct fall meet and should be competitive here this winter.

“It’s a nice little group of horses,” Breen said. “We started out similar as to last year [numbers-wise]. I didn’t have that many people claiming last year, maybe I do this year.”