Numbers point to Suzette in Freedom of the City Stakes

It is safe to say Suzette will be odds-on to win the $60,000 Freedom of the City at Century Downs on Saturday. After all, she paid $2.90 when she romped by 14 1/4 lengths in her previous start in the $51,000 Bird of Pay at Northlands Park on Sept. 1. Plus, her lowest Beyer Speed Figure in three lifetime starts is higher than any of the five horses she is facing in the seven-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies.

Trained by Greg Tracy, Suzette began her career at Hastings, where she easily won a $16,000 maiden-claiming race by 4 1/4 lengths July 15. She had the lead at the top of the stretch going 6 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 Hard Rock Casino on Aug. 7, but couldn’t hold off the highly regarded My Aunt Mo while finishing fourth.

In her only start in Alberta, she broke sharply with Rico Walcott aboard in the Bird of Pay, sat just off the pace for the first quarter-mile, and then fully asserted herself going down the backstretch in the 6 1/2-furlong dash.

Tracy, the leading trainer at Century Downs, is expecting another solid effort from the Kentucky-bred filly.

“She’s happy and doing great,” Tracy said. “She seems to handle the track well, so I don’t see why she won’t run another good race.”

Suzette will break from post 2 with Walcott riding again.

KEY CONTENDERS

Suzette, by Overanalyze
Last 3 Beyers: 44-37-57

◗ With five solid works over the new surface at Century Downs, she appears to be primed for another big effort.

◗ FORMULATOR FACT: The past five years Tracy has a 38 percent strike rate and $2.50 ROI in stakes races for 2-year-old fillies.

Pure Rose, by Wilko
Last 3 Beyers: 24-20-30

◗ Trained by Rod Cone, she made a strong move into a fast pace when she beat next-out winner Forest Song Oct. 7 in a maiden special weight race going six furlongs in her third start and first at Century Downs.

◗ She should be rolling late and there will be speed coming back to her.

Dreaming Ez, by Ez Dreamer
Beyer: 24

◗ Her trainer, Don Schnell, has won with 29 percent of his starters at the meet. She figures to move forward after finishing second by a neck to Forest Song in her debut Oct. 15.