Powerful Summer the fit one

With three wins from her first 12 starters, trainer Monica Russell is off to a fast start at the Northlands Park meet. Russell appears to have an excellent chance of adding another win to her record with Powerful Summer in the feature race on Sunday.

Powerful Summer is the only one of the five horses entered in the 3 1/2-furlong sprint that has raced this year. The fact that he scored a smart win in a $30,000 claiming race at the same distance last Sunday tags him as the one to beat.

The $40,000 optional claiming race with classified allowance conditions goes as the seventh race.

Russell claimed Powerful Summer for $22,000 out of a win at Stampede Park in April of 2008. Since then he has won three races for his new connections. Stephan Heiler retains the mount.

Market Force, who is trained by Greg Tracy, has very good speed and will probably be eager to use it. This will be his first start since he finished second in an $18,000 claiming race at Presque Isle Downs in September 2007. Market Force has run well fresh. He came off of a 10-month layoff to win a five-furlong maiden special weight race by 11 lengths at Mountaineer in February 2007.

Garys Buddy started out 2008 with a win in a four-furlong $25,000 claiming race at Stampede Park in early April. He improved enough to win the $50,000 Western Canada Stakes at Northlands on July 1.