Here's Hannah stays perfect with Fantasy Stakes triumph

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Here’s Hannah remained undefeated with an easy eight-length romp over Raider in the $100,000 Fantasy Stakes at Hastings on Saturday.

Sent off as the heavy favorite in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies, she paid $2.40.

The field was reduced to four horses when Sonoma was scratched by the veterinarian after rearing in the starting gate.

Breaking from the outside post with leading rider Richard Hamel aboard, the daughter of Numaany set quick interior fractions of 23:49 and 46.66 seconds while being chased by Raider.

She started to draw clear at the quarter-pole and took complete control of the race on the stretch turn. She took a three-length advantage into the stretch and increased her margin with Hamel wrapping up on her in the final sixteenth. Raider tired, but was able to hold off Assemble to finish second by three-quarters of a length.

First Summer completed the 6-5-3-4 $1.00 Superfecta that paid $2.50.

The final time over a track rated good was 1:44.59.

“She can lose concentration, so I was a little concerned about her being able to stay focused going around three turns,” Hamel said. “She was fine, though. She has a decent tracking speed and gives you everything she’s got when you want it.”

Trainer John Morrison wasn’t surprised by her dominating performance, or concerned about the quick fractions she posted.

“She came into the race with lots of gas in the tank,” he said. “She went fast, but it looked like she was doing it pretty easily, and I could see the horse chasing her wasn’t going to be able to keep up. She’s pretty special.”

The combined winning margin of her three starts is 17 1/2 lengths. In all of her races Hamel wrapped up on her in the stretch.

Here’s Hannah is owned by B C Stables Paul Caravetta. B C Stables is also her breeder.

The winner’s share of the purse brought her career earnings to $140,850.