Impressive debut winner La Una returns from long layoff.

The 36 Beyer Speed Figure La Una received for her win in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race over Camden High and Time for Gold in her 2-year-old debut last year is not going to impress anyone. However, the manner in which she won the 4 1/2-furlong dash stamps her as the one to beat when she returns in a $50,000 optional-claiming race at Emerald Downs on Thursday. The 5 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies drew seven horses and goes at approximately 9:01 p.m. Pacific.

La Una appeared to have no chance after breaking poorly in her only start, which came with Jose Zunino riding for trainer Blaine Wright. She trailed the field at the first call, started to make a move from along the rail heading into the turn, and then was angled out to the middle of the track while still five lengths behind at the eighth pole. She finished with a rush to win going away.

Time for Gold, who finished third, came back to win the $36,000 Angie C. and the $39,600 Barbara Shinpoch by a combined 20 lengths.

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La Una has been training forwardly and may have been trying to tell us something when she worked a bullet five furlongs out of the gate in 58.20 seconds on May 19.

“She ran lights out first time,” said Wright. “You don’t see many 2-year-olds do what she did. She came out of the gate good last week, so hopefully she’ll break okay Thursday night.”

La Una will leave from post 5 with Zunino retaining the mount.

Adding to her appeal is the Formulator Fact that the past five years Wright has won with 22 percent of his starters coming back from a layoff of 270 days or more.

Tothemoonandback is also making her first start of the year. She won her only start as a 2-year-old for trainer Kay Cooper.

A daughter of Atta Boy Roy, Tothemoonandback settled early and finished with conviction to win a six-furlong maiden special weight race on Oct. 15. She was ridden by Leslie Mawing.

Tothemoonandback has been working like she is ready to fire a big shot off the bench. The past five years Cooper has an 18 percent strike rate and an impressive $4.42 ROI with horses coming back from a break of 180 days or more.

Kevin Radke will be aboard when she breaks from post 4.

La Una and Tothemoonandback will have speed to run at, most notably Frisco Frills who was an easy 2 1/2-length front-running winner of a maiden special weight race on May 19. The daughter of Coast Guard is trained by Cliff Balcom.

Zippin Sevenz, trained by Alan Bozell, used her considerable speed to win back-to-back races last year. She has been working forwardly while prepping for her first start since she romped in a $25,000 claimer on Oct. 21.