Heart On the Run set for return from layoff

Heart On the Run has been a bit of a success story in 2023 and returns from a two-month rest to make her second start at Emerald Downs in Saturday’s $15,000 open claiming feature for fillies and mares.

A daughter of Tavasco, Heart On the Run is trained by Jennifer Nunnally, who claimed the now 4-year-old from her final start of 2022 for $4,500 at Turf Paradise. Since that time, the filly has made her way up the class ladder while earning decent paychecks at levels well above the original level at which she was claimed.

Heart On the Run has worked four times over the past six weeks in preparation for her return.

“She doesn’t really work fast but she does gallop out strong,” Nunally said. “The gallop-out is more important.”

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In her only previous start at Emerald Downs, Heart On the Run finished third, beaten three-quarters of a length, after sharing pacesetting duties on May 21.

The potential horse to beat on Saturday is Nan Elizabeth, trained by Luciano Gabriel. That 5-year-old overcame a slow start to collar the speed near the top of the stretch before drawing away to a convincing 5 1/2-length victory on July 1. Her Beyer Speed Figure for that performance was a 62, which is the top last-out figure in Saturday’s field.

Razor-sharp Gold Coast Girl is a Steve Bullock trainee who will be shooting for her third consecutive victory on Saturday. She faced better company as a 3-year-old at Emerald in 2022 and made her return count with a 2 3/4-length win on June 18.

Gold Coast Girl spent the winter in Arizona, where at first she struggled in the allowance ranks before dropping to the $8,500 claiming level to post a solid win after a wide trip on April 19. Silvio Amador has been named to ride.

The pace picture in Saturday’s feature is something of a guessing game with a number of candidates who may try for the early lead. They include Hilario Perez trainee Your Royal Coil, who is saddled with an inside draw.

Classic Leah and Pearl River Delta, a pair of last-out claims by Vince Gibson and Rigoberto Velasquez, respectively, also are pace possibilities in a very competitive field of six runners.

The pace conditions will be quite suitable to the fast finish of Nan Elizabeth on Saturday, with Gold Coast Girl another whose late move may be potent at crunch time.

First post time is 5 p.m. Pacific and high temperatures near 80 degrees are expected.

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