No reason Skylar May can't repeat

PORTLAND, Ore. - Skylar May attempts to parlay a sharp recent allowance score into her first stakes win on Sunday, when she meets many of the same rivals she just beat in the $10,000 Diane Kem Handicap for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

Skylar May, a 6-year-old daughter of Santiago Peak from the barn of Rod Gibson, was one of six Diane Kem entrants who prepped in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance race here on Oct. 20. On that occasion, she sat well off a hotly contested pace and came storming home under Karen Knapp to score by a length over Icicle Angel in 1:07.44. That was Skylar May's fifth win from 31 career starts and it boosted her bankroll to more than $60,000.

Skylar May again figures to benefit from a hot pace, as the four who shared the lead in the allowance race - Missy Muffet, Maria Kay, Wegota Slewzy, and Icicle Angel - are all entered back in the Diane Kem, as is Nancy's Blazen Lady, who failed to make an impact in the prep race.

Rounding out the field of nine are California invader Fahana, East Coast shipper Diamond D. C., and Stareaux, who raced last at Emerald Downs.

Sharing the spotlight with the Diane Kem, which will go as the ninth of 10 live races, is the $6,000 Portland Meadows Fall Quarter Horse Derby at 400 yards. The derby has drawn a full field of 10 3-year-olds, topped by the Baxter Andruss-trained Micro Meter, who will break from post 4 under Todd Skaggs at 122 pounds, the impost to be carried by all starters.

The derby has is slated as the fourth race on a program that gets under way at 1 p.m.