Here's Hannah returns in Vancouver Sun
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Here’s Hannah, the 2018 horse of the year in British Columbia, makes her 4-year-old debut Saturday in the $50,000 Vancouver Sun at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares drew six horses, but all eyes will be on Here’s Hannah to see how she will handle running against older horses for the first time. Post time for the Sun, race 6, is 4:28 p.m. Pacific.
Trained by John Morrison, Here’s Hannah has looked nothing less than spectacular this spring. With exercise rider Angie Smith aboard, she has been full of herself while galloping most mornings. Even though she has earned bullets for each of her last six works, Smith has yet to turn her loose.
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Here’s Hannah will be making her first start since she won the $100,0000 British Columbia Oaks on Sept. 8.
Morrison is happy with the way she has developed over the winter.
“She couldn’t be doing any better,” Morrison said. “She’s probably grown an inch, and her hind quarters have filled out the way you want to see. I expect her to run well on Saturday.”
She will break from the inside post with her usual rider, Richard Hamel, aboard. The only time she lost in eight starts was when Hamel wasn’t available to ride her in the $50,000 Emerald Downs last year.
The Phil Hall-trained Good Luck to You makes her second start of the year in the Vancouver Sun. She came from a stalking position to win the $50,000 Brighouse Belles on May 4.
With Here’s Hannah, Toni Ann’s Miracle, and Oxhilirating all wanting to be involved early, Good Luck to You should get a similar trip Saturday with Enrique Gonzalez retaining the mount.
KEY CONTENDERS
Here’s Hannah, by Numaany
Last 3 Beyers: 74-77-74
◗ She will have to deal with other speed, and in her loss she got bogged down on the rail in a duel.
Good Luck to You, by Bellamy Road
Last 3 Beyers: 72-49-67
◗ She should have plenty of speed to run at.
“I like the way she came out of the Brighouse Belles and I like the way the Sun shapes up for her,” Hall said.
Oxhilirating, by Oxbow
Last 3 Beyers: 77-75-74
◗ She has compiled a solid record in Maryland, and one of her three wins came going seven furlongs, so she should be fine with the cutback in distance following a runner-up finish in a second-level allowance race with a $35,000 claiming option April 12 at Laurel.
◗ She just arrived at Hastings, so it is hard to say how she’ll handle running in a two-turn sprint while making her first start on a bullring. She is trained by Steve Bryant.