Summerland can prove she's the real deal in Spaghetti Mouse

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Summerland will try to carry her substantial speed around two turns for the first time when she runs in the $50,000 Spaghetti Mouse at Hastings Sunday. The Spaghetti Mouse is the first 2-year-old stakes race at Hastings this year, and Summerland, the only filly in the race, is the one to catch and beat in the six-furlong dash, which drew five horses.

Summerland couldn’t have been more impressive when she made her debut May 27 here in a 3 1/2-furlong maiden special weight. Breaking sharply with Enrique Gonzalez aboard, she held a half-length lead over Vintage Man after a quarter-mile in 22.04 seconds. She was 2 1/2 lengths clear of Vintage Man turning for home and then drew off to win by 9 1/4 lengths. The final time of 38.85 is now the track record and the 71 Beyer Speed Figure she received is the second-best of any 2-year-old in Canada this year. Armistice Day received a 73 Beyer for her blowout win in a maiden special weight race at Woodbine on July 1.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of He’s Tops, Summerland has had four solid works leading up her second start on Sunday and trainer Phil Hall is hoping for another strong effort.

“We have all seen horses that look like superstars going three and one-half but come up empty when they go farther, “ said Hall. “I don’t think she’s that kind of horse, though. She does everything so easily and she’s certainly been working well. She just could be something special.”

Summerland drew the outside post with Gonzalez retaining the mount.

The Spaghetti Mouse looks like a two horse race between Summerland and Vintage Man.

Trained by Glen Todd, Vintage Man appears to have improved greatly since he was waxed by Summerland. He came back to easily win a $75,000 maiden claiming race with Aaron Gryder riding on June 9, and he looked great working a half-mile in 48.80 seconds with Gryder aboard last Sunday. He got the last eighth of a mile in 11.80 seconds and then galloped out in a minute.

“Aaron said he just exploded underneath him,” said Todd. “That is a nice filly he is running against, though. I’ll be glad when he gets to run against just the boys.”

Bugsy, trained by Dino Condilenios, followed up his third-place finish to Summerland with a win going six furlongs in a maiden special weight race June 24. A B.C.-bred son of Shrug, Bugsy is the only horse in the field with a win going around two turns.