Summerland the one to catch in Freedom of the City
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
Summerland will try to keep her perfect record in Canada intact when she runs in the $75,000 Freedom of the City at Century Downs on Saturday. If she runs as well as she did in four starts at Hastings, her eight opponents are running for second money in the 7 1/2-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies.
The Freedom of the City goes as race 10 on a 12-race card that begins at 12:15 p.m. Mountain.
Summerland, trained by Phil Hall, won four races at Hastings by a combined 27 1/4 lengths, and the only time she was under pressure was in the 1 1/16-mile Fantasy where Dancin Shoes stayed with her most of the way. Summerland prevailed by three-quarters of a length, never looking as though she would lose.
Her only loss came when she was overmatched in the Grade 2 Sorrento at Del Mar, and the race apparently didn’t take anything out of her as she romped by 10 lengths at Hastings in her next start.
Summerland breezed an easy half-mile with assistant trainer Sara Hall aboard last Sunday. Hall has been supervising Summerland’s training while her father is on vacation.
“She’s been here for two weeks and seems to handle the track well,” said Hall. “Nothing seems to bother her, so I just let her do her own thing and try to keep her happy.”
She will break from post 2 with Richard Hamel riding her for the first time. Enrique Gonzalez rode her in all of her races in Vancouver.
Trainer Mark Cloutier got the desired result when he took the blinkers off Notice for the CTHS Sales Stakes at Century on Oct. 7, as she won the seven-furlong dash by 11 lengths. The Ole Nielsen homebred also romped by 4 1/2 lengths in the CTHS Sales Stakes at Hastings.
The difference at Century was that she settled just off the speed before drawing off to win in complete control. In her races at Hastings, she had just one way of going and was vulnerable if other speed was in the field.
She drew the rail with Rigo Sarmiento retaining the mount.
KEY CONTENDERS
Summerland, by He’s Tops
Last 3 Beyers: 69-80-47
◗ She wasn’t headed in any of her races at Hastings and will be tough to reel in if she breaks on top.
Notice, by Stephanotis
Last 3 Beyers: 57-40-57
◗ Her only bad race was when she got fried in a duel in the $50,000 B.C. Debutante won by Dancin Shoes. Her newfound ability to rate should help her with Summerland in the field.
Im Even Im Leavin, by Can the Man
Last 3 Beyers: 53-48-27
◗ Trained by Greg Tracy, she improved dramatically in her first start at Century and could pick up the pieces if Summerland and Notice get carried away early.
