Runaway winners challenge Chit Chat Pam

Chit Chat Pam will try to win her third straight stakes on Saturday night in the $40,000 Sam Houston Oaks.

Chit Chat Pam is one eight 3-year-old fillies in the one-mile race. Others of interest include Sweet Idea, who has won her last two starts by a combined 29 1/2 lengths for trainer Bret Calhoun, and Behrenitall, whose last two wins have come by 20 1/2 lengths for trainer Andrew Konkoly.

Those fillies will be moving into stakes company for the first time, while Chit Chat Pam has been racing at that level exclusively since January, when she won her maiden in her second career start in the $30,000 Cy Fair at six furlongs. One start later, Chit Chat Pam stretched out to one mile and captured the $125,000 Two Altazano division of the Texas Stallion Stakes.

"She's pretty versatile," said Bob Young, who trains Chit Chat Pam for Ken Murphy Thoroughbreds. "She can sprint, or she can go long."

Chit Chat Pam also has a nice stalking style, and could get a dream trip behind front-runners Sweet Idea and Behrenitall. Young has given the mount on Chit Chat Pam to Filemon Rodriguez.

Others in the field include Yaddo Cat, a multiple-stakes-winning sprinter who makes a rare two-turn start in the Oaks. Trainer Steve Asmussen has given the mount to leading rider Glen Murphy.