EDMONTON, Alberta - Deputy Country, Alberta's reigning horse of the year, bought himself a huge reprieve when he sprang the upset of the young Northlands season with a stunning runaway victory in the $50,000 Spangled Jimmy Handicap here Saturday.

Deputy Country, owned by Arnie Heppner and trained by Red Smith, had worked decently enough but had lost decisively in three stakes appearances this season.

"He had some tough races at Calgary this spring and it took its toll," Smith said. "[Saturday], he got away from the speed."

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - I'm the Tiger and My Cousin Matt, the third-place finisher in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, head an accomplished eight-horse field in Wednesday's feature, a six-furlong allowance for non-winners of $45,660 in 2005.

I'm the Tiger, a speedy Stronach Stable runner, won the 2004 Bold Venture Handicap, but he bypassed this year's renewal of that race on Saturday. He hasn't started since winning a 6 1/2-furlong allowance Oct. 3, when he received a big 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ontrack gains were offset by a slight decline in offtrack business as all-sources wagering remained static at the 52-day Churchill Downs spring meet that ended Sunday.

Daily wagering from all sources averaged $11,253,795, a number that was remarkably close to the $11,252,299 average from the corresponding 2004 meet. Churchill was holding its first meet since its $121 million renovation was completed, leading to a double-digit percent increase in ontrack wagering, but that number was negated by the slight decrease in offtrack wagering.

English Channel takes aim at a $5 million jackpot while Spring House looks for a cleaner trip in the Grade 3, $750,000 at Colonial Downs on Saturday.

The second annual Virginia Million Day tops the biggest day of the meet at Colonial Downs. The 10-race card gets under way at 1 p.m.

It features the richest-ever Virginia Derby as well as two 1 1/8-mile grass stakes each worth $200,000: the Grade 3 All Along Breeders' Cup Stakes for fillies and mares and the Virginia Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

Delaware Park will formally debut a pick six bet on Saturday that will allow the bettor to select which six races to include in the sequence, under a new type of wager that is being marketed by a subsidiary of the financial services company Cantor Fitzgerald.

Southern California-based trainer Jeff Mullins came all the way across the country for one race last year, and Summer Wind Dancer made the long trip worthwhile when she won the Delaware Handicap. Mullins is now going to see if he can pull off a similar feat, this time with the 3-year-old filly Brooke's Halo.

A wire-to-wire winner of the Hollywood Oaks in her most recent start, Brooke's Halo is one of three graded stakes winners in a field of eight entered Monday for Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Having Todd Pletcher in your corner is a huge advantage for any rider.

The Eclipse Award-winning trainer helped propel John Velazquez to consecutive record-setting seasons at Saratoga. He has also helped put Chris DeCarlo back on the map at Monmouth Park.

DeCarlo rides first-call for Pletcher at the Jersey Shore this year, a spot that came open when Eibar Coa switched to New York. The results have been dramatic.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For five straight years, from 1998 to 2002, the leading rider at Ellis Park was Jon Court. And after Court left Kentucky, the mantle was assumed by Rafael Bejarano, who thoroughly dominated in 2003 and 2004.

But when the 41-day Ellis Park meet begins Wednesday in Henderson, Ky., there will be no clear-cut favorite for leading jockey. Court is riding in Southern California, and for the first time in his rising career, Bejarano will be part of the elite jockey colony at the Saratoga meet that begins July 27.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - It is not all BMW SUV's, high-end cell phones and $250 sunglasses, this world of the modern horse trainer.

The image from the top of the food chain is one thing. Down lower, people go white-knuckled every day trying to hang on.

Down here, Chris Richard and Bertrand de Brevedent passed like ships in the night - only they docked momentarily to say hello.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - In a sign of things to come, jockey Don Simington and trainer Danny Pish will be teaming up in the featured eighth race Wednesday night at Lone Star Park. Simington is expected to be riding a large number of horses for Pish during the upcoming meet at Retama Park near San Antonio.

"He's supposed to come down and ride, and will be on about 80 percent of my starters," Pish said.