Here's Hannah, the queen of Hastings, begins 5-year-old season in Monashee Stakes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Here’s Hannah makes her seasonal debut in the $50,000 Monashee Stakes at Hastings on Sunday. The reigning filly or mare champion in Canada has looked fantastic in the mornings and appears to be primed for a strong effort in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for fillies and mares, which drew six horses.

It goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 4:30 p.m. Pacific.

Trained by John Morrison, Here’s Hannah has been nothing less than sensational in her 14-race career. Eleven of her 12 wins have come in stakes and she can certainly be forgiven for her loss in the $50,000 Delta Colleen, where carrying 130 pounds she came up a head short to Bear in the 1 1/8-mile race.

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She packs 124 pounds in the Monashee, one fewer than she carried to victory in her last start, the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina on Sept. 28.

Morrison is expecting the usual from the 5-year-old daughter of Numaany.

“She’s been training great and is anxious to run,” said Morrison. “I just hope for a nice, clean trip.”

Retired jockey Richard Hamel rode Here’s Hannah in 13 of her races. Her other loss came when she was ridden by Denis Araujo in the $50,000 Emerald Downs in her second start as a 4-year-old last year at Hastings.

Enrique Gonzalez will be aboard Here’s Hannah when she breaks from post 2.

Morrison isn’t concerned about not having Hamel to call on this year.

“Richard said anyone can ride her,” said Morrison. “Enrique is a great rider and especially good on the front end. He should suit her perfectly.”

Here’s Hannah will obviously be a short price in the Monashee. There are a few reasons to try and beat her with Sunburst.

Nothing against Gonzalez, but Hamel knows her best. When she lost in the Emerald Downs, she was the inside horse in a speed duel. With the speedy Under Par breaking from post 4 that could happen in the Monashee.

Lastly, Sunburst has had a race and it was a good one. The Barbara Heads-trained 4-year-old set wicked fractions on her way to a 1 1/2-length victory going six furlongs in the $40,000 Red Tail Landing at Century Mile on July 17. It was her first start since she finished second to Here’s Hannah in the Ballerina.

Sunburst is a stalker, so it was surprising to see Rico Walcott gun her to the lead in the Red Tail Landing. She drew the outside post in the Monashee, and she could get a perfect trip if an all-out duel develops between Here’s Hannah and Under Par.

Scott Williams rides.

Amazonian, who beat Sunburst in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks, will be making her first start since finishing third in the Ballerina. The 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon will break from the rail with Efrain Hernandez riding for trainer Glen Todd.

The Mark Cloutier-trained Under Par could take them a long way if Gonzalez elects to ease Here’s Hannah into a stalking position.