'You Again' faces eight in Oaks

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Can she bring it home for mama?

That's the question trainer David Van Winkle and co-owner Connie Phillips will ask of probable favorite Oh You Again when she faces eight other Minnesota-bred 3-year-old fillies in the $60,000 Minnesota Oaks, one of two Saturday stakes at Canterbury Park.

A winner in all three of her career appearances, Oh You Again seeks to emulate her dam, Sweet Sum, who captured the Minnesota Oaks in 1993. The event was held at Ak-Sar-Ben that season as a result of Canterbury Downs being closed.

Following her maiden victory on opening weekend of this meet, Oh You Again bested older rivals in a first-level allowance, then prevailed by 4 3/4 lengths in the Frances Genter Stakes. A daughter of the accomplished sprinter You and I, Oh You Again must prove she can handle the oaks distance of a mile and 70 yards, but the accomplishments of her dam and her dam's sire, Belmont Stakes winner Summing, suggest she is up to the task. Jockey Juan Rivera will again ride Oh You Again.

Glitter Star might be able to threaten the favorite. A daughter of Glitterman trained by Richie Scherer, Glitter Star finished second to Oh You Again on opening weekend. Tried next around two turns, Glitter Star won impressively, drawing off by 6 1/2 lengths. Well back early in the Frances Genter, Glitter Star rallied to finish third, beaten eight lengths, on a track surface that was playing extremely fast.

Key Issues after elusive double

Only two Minnesota-bred 3-year-olds, Crocrock and J. P. Jet, have captured both the Victor S. Myers Jr. Stakes and the Minnesota Derby in the last 10 runnings of each event. That statistic, and 10 other 3-year-old Minnesota-breds, stand squarely in the path of Key Issues, the favorite in the $60,000 Minnesota Derby.

Sent postward as the 8-5 favorite in the Myers three weeks ago, Key Issues rallied sharply following a rapid early pace to draw clear by 4 1/2 lengths in the six-furlong event. The mile-and-70-yard derby will be the first time the son of Victory Speech will be asked to try a route of ground. Iram Diego has the call on Key Issues.