Here's Hannah shows new dimension in Supernaturel win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Here’s Hannah showed us she can rate with an impressive victory in the $50,000 Supernaturel Handicap on Monday at Hastings. She paid $9.40 and posted a final time of 1:45.60 in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

The complexion of the race changed dramatically when heavily favored Toni Ann’s Miracle got creamed at the start and ended up trailing the field early. In her first start at Hastings, Toni Ann’s Miracle forced fast fractions before drawing off to easily win the $50,000 Emerald Downs. With a clean start Monday, she would undoubtedly have been among the early leaders.

With Richard Hamel aboard, Here’s Hannah had the perfect trip. She broke sharply and sat just off Sharp Contrast who posted honest interior fractions of 23.51 seconds and 47.81. Hamel gave Here’s Hannah her cue approaching the quarter pole, and she immediately responded. She opened a clear lead on the stretch turn and was able to hold off Tiptoe who came from a stalking position. The final margin was one length. Lookout Taylor rallied to finish a distant third at 64-1.

“I was happy where I was early, and I knew if she relaxed she would give me a big kick,” Hamel said. “I did have to get into her with the stick in the stretch, but I think she had more to give if I needed it.”

In his only other mount on the Canada Day holiday weekend, Hamel rode Weekend Wizard to a convincing win in the $50,000 Chris Loseth Handicap on Sunday. Due to complications from off-season knee surgery, he had not ridden a horse in a race since May 6.

A British Columbia-bred daughter of Numaany, Here’s Hannah is trained by John Morrison and is owned by B C Stables and Paul Caravetta.

Here’s Hannah is undefeated in five starts with Hamel riding, with her only loss coming in the Emerald Downs.

“I felt very confident going into the race,” Morrison said. “She trained really well, ate up everything, and Richard was getting back on her.”