Enchanted Lady stands out in Freedom of the City Stakes

Trainer Phil Hall is hoping to win the $100,000 Freedom of the City at Century Downs Saturday for the second straight year. Hall appears to have the right horse for the job in Enchanted Lady who is coming off a runner-up finish in the $75,000 Fantasy Stakes at Hastings on Oct. 13.

In 2018, the Hall-trained Summerland paid $2.70 for her three-length victory in the Freedom of the City, a 7 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. Enchanted Lady won’t be as short a price as Summerland was last year, but the Kentucky-bred daughter of Langfuhr will certainly be favored over the six horses she is facing.

The Freedom of the City goes as race 7 on an 11-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Mountain. The Freedom of the City is supported by the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes for fillies and mares, a seven-furlong dash headed by Hidden Grace. The 3-year-old Manitoba-bred is undefeated in eight starts, all at Assiniboia Downs.

Enchanted Lady has yet to run a bad race but she has just a single win in four starts. The reason for her lack of wins is she has been running against Infinite Patience, who has dominated the 2-year-old filly stakes division at Hastings. She won’t have to face that rival on Saturday.

“She’s training good, and I’m proud of the way she ran in the Fantasy,” Hall said from Banff National Park while on the road Wednesday afternoon. “We’re getting pretty close to Calgary, and she seems to be handling the ship well. At least she doesn’t have to face Infinite Patience again. I think Barb’s horse will be tough, though.

Hall was referring to the Barbara Heads-trained Sangria, who is coming off a win in a $50,000 optional maiden claiming race on Oct. 5.

Enchanted Lady can stalk, and with plenty of potential speed in the field, she should get a nice trip from a forward position.

She will break from post 6 with Amadeo Perez riding.

Pearl of Knowledge, trained by Greg Tracy, is the most accomplished horse in the field. The Alberta-bred daughter of Cape Canaveral is coming off back-to-back wins at Century in the $50,000 Sturgeon River Sept. 15 and the $46,000 CTHS Sales Stakes on Oct. 6. In the Sturgeon River, she took them all the way. She dueled early before drawing off to win the seven-furlong CTHS Sales Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths.

She will break from post 3 with Dane Nelson up.

Pearl of Knowledge will have to deal with other speed, most notably Blushing Brooke, who won her debut going 3 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race at Century on Sept. 22. The Tim Rycroft trainee will break from the rail with Rigo Sarmiento riding.

CTHS Sales Stakes

Hidden Grace has not been tested in Manitoba, and the 78 Beyer Speed Figure she received for her easy win over heavily favored Tadaa going 1 1/8 miles in the $30,000 Matron for fillies and mares in her last start is a career best.

Trained by Michael Nault, she has speed, but can stalk and should be comfortable with the move back to a sprint.

Hidden Grace will be trying to emulate another Manitoba-bred, Escape Clause, who won this race by 9 3/4 lengths during her 3-year-old season in 2017 and went on to become a graded stakes winner.