Chalk takes Oaks and Derby at Canterbury

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Favorites prevailed in Saturday's running of the $60,000 Minnesota Oaks and $60,000 Minnesota Derby at Canterbury Park as jockey Dean Butler swept the two features.

The Minnesota Oaks was captured by the odds-on favorite Chick Fight, who bested seven rivals and overcame a jockey's claim of foul to prevail in a race restricted to Minnesota-bred 3-year-old fillies. The early pace was set by Katie is Smart, who maintained a narrow advantage over Chick Fight until the pair reached the top of the stretch. Given her cue by Butler, Chick Fight leaned in bumping the pacesetter but quickly dispatched that rival, drawing clear by three lengths on the wire. Katie is Smart finished second, nine lengths clear of third-place Five Nations. Chick Fight completed the mile-and-70-yard Oaks in 1:43.42.

Dean Butler rode the Oaks winner for trainer Mac Robertson. Chick Fight ($3) is owned by the Bleu Valley Farm of Jeff and Deb Hilger and was bred by Jeff Hilger in partnership with Doug Oliver.

Perfect Bull wins running wide

Perfect Bull overcame a wide trip to prevail over eight rivals in the Minnesota Derby. Breaking sharply under Butler, Perfect Bull found himself running with the leaders in the opening stages of the mile-and-70-yard contest rather than in his customary position tracking the leaders from behind the pace. Racing wide to the backstretch, Perfect Bull was wrangled off the leaders in the opening half-mile but began steadily picking off rivals as the field moved through the far turn.

A skirmish for the lead had developed between pacesetting Jack and Max and A Steel Trap as the leaders entered the stretch but that pair couldn't match Perfect Bull, who wrested command and drew clear to prevail by four lengths while stopping the timer in 142.94. Jack and Max prevailed for second by 2 3/4 lengths over A Steel Trap.

Perfect Bull is owned by his breeders, the Red Dog Stables of Brett and Chad Holtz, and is trained by Bernell Rhone. Perfect Bull, a son of Holy Bull, returned $4.60 while earning his first winning black type.