Intriguing new face in Emerald Handicap

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – How does a horse coming off a win in a first-level allowance race with a $75,000 claiming option at Gulfstream Park stack up against stakes horses at Hastings? We’ll find out Saturday when Toni Ann’s Miracle takes on the undefeated Here’s Hannah and three others in the $50,000 Emerald Handicap at Hastings. The 6 1/2-furlong dash drew a small but intriguing field of 3-year-old fillies and will go as race 2 on a seven-race card that begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.

Toni Ann’s Miracle will be making her first start outside of Florida, where she won three races at Gulfstream Park West as well as winning her latest start April 6 at Gulfstream. She dead-heated for first with Luzmimi Princess in the six-furlong sprint, but ended up with the lion’s share of the purse when Luzmimi Princess was disqualified back to second for drifting out and causing interference in the stretch.

Following her win at Gulfstream, she was purchased privately by Peter Redekop. She flew from Florida to Santa Anita and then vanned to Golden Gate Fields, where she worked a half-mile for trainer Blaine Wright on May 12. Phil Hall is Redekop’s trainer at Hastings.

“Blaine said she lost a little weight shipping from Florida,” Hall said. “She’s put it back on, though. I’ve had her for two and a half weeks, and she seems to be doing fine.”

Hall said jockey Amadeo Perez was impressed when he worked her five furlongs in 1:00.60 on May 25 at Hastings. Perez will be aboard when she breaks from the outside post Saturday.

Despite dueling through extreme fractions and making her first start of the year, Here’s Hannah was able to hold off Gigi Jean to win the Ross McLeod by a nose.

The combination of a hard race coming off a lengthy layoff can knock a horse out for a while. That doesn’t seem to be the case for Here’s Hannah. Trained by John Morrison, she has been on the muscle galloping in the mornings and was full of herself in her two interim works.

“She was tired the next day, but she recovered quickly and was back to being nasty,” Morrison said. “She’s in the zone now.”

Richard Hamel, who was aboard for all of her four victories, is still recovering from off-season knee surgery. He came back too soon when he rode Here’s Hannah in the Ross McLeod. Denis Araujo picks up the mount.

Araujo rode Gigi Jean when she just missed in the Ross McLeod. Aaron Gryder should have the Craig MacPherson-trained daughter of Temple City rolling late.

◗ Hall said the 2-year-old filly Summerland came out of her track-record-setting performance going 3 1/2 furlongs Sunday in good shape and will be pointed to the $50,000 Spaghetti Mouse on July 15. Summerland was ridden by Perez while posting a final time of 38.85 seconds in her debut win. The previous record of 39.97 was set in 2006 by Wanabe Klassy.