Hidden Grace (Going Commando), a Manitoba-bred who had won nine consecutive stakes to start her career, got edged out by her own stablemate in a quest for a perfect 10-for-10 race record in Wednesday night's $25,000 Canada Day S. at Assiniboia Downs.
Miss Imperial (Maclean's Music), off as the as the .55-1 favorite, battled through a three-way fight for the lead and then had enough left to hold off the onrushing 1.35-1 Hidden Grace to post a one-length win. The four remaining entrants were scattered nine lengths behind the top two in the 7 1/2-furlong open stakes.
Both 4-year-old fillies are trained by Murray Duncan, but they do not share similar career paths.
Hidden Grace is owned and was bred by Cam Ziprick, Charles Fouillard and Barry Arnason. She has raced exclusively in Manitoba (nine starts) and Alberta (one start), with five of her nine victories coming against provincial-bred or sales-restricted company.
Hidden Grace's breeder and owner partnerships are comprised of some of the same people who bred and raced fellow Manitoba-bred Escape Clause (Going Commando). That mare retired last autumn with 20 wins after emerging from Assiniboia to win stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita before losing only by a nose to Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) in the 2019 GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn.
Miss Imperial, owned in partnership by her trainer and the Estate of Garylle B. Stewart, now sports a 9-for-19 record after starting her career on the New York, Fair Grounds, and Oaklawn circuits. Duncan claimed her at Oaklawn Apr. 11 for $25,000, and since shipping to Winnipeg, Miss Imperial has now won three straight open stakes.
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