Summer Sensation: Catch him

EDMONTON, Alberta - The speedy Summer Sensation led all the way to capture the 6 1/2-furlong Journal on June 23, and he looks to employ the same tactics Saturday while stretching out to one mile in the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy here at Northlands Park.

Summer Sensation, imported from Turf Paradise earlier this year by trainer Darcy Hawkes, has never been asked to go this far in seven lifetime starts. Should the 5-year-old start wavering late in the race, it will be up to jockey Ron Blinston to hold back an avalanche of rivals, including stalwarts Teagues Fight and Test Boy.

Teagues Fight has won 6 of his last 8 starts and dominated the spring meet at Stampede Park with wins in the Sales Stakes and Herald Gold Plate. The Spangled Jimmy will mark Teagues Fight's first appearance at Northlands Park since he posted consecutive wins in the Sophomore Sales, Beaufort and Western Canada to complete his 2006 campaign.

Carrying high weight of 122 pounds, Teagues Fight is likely to be narrowly favored in the betting over Test Boy, who carries 120 pounds.

Test Boy, trained by Steve Asmussen before coming to Robertino Diodoro's barn via a claim, took down Teagues Fight in the Teeworth Plate at Stampede Park before having the tables turned in the Herald Gold Plate. This time Test Boy must overcome the outside post in the field of nine, which presents a challenge with the short run to the first turn.