by Karen Briggs, WEG media department

East Rutherford, NJ — She may never have set foot on a Canadian track, but Ontario-owned filly Creamy Mimi is the 4-1 second favorite going into this coming Saturday’s $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks final at The Meadowlands.

The daughter of Conway Hall–Cream Puff (by Pine Chip) has been under the tutelage of Trond Smedshammer this year, after beginning her career with trainer Osvaldo Formia. In eight starts so far in 2008, she has managed to earn back her $165,000 yearling purchase price and then some.

All in all, Creamy Mimi has bankrolled $384,287 over 12 lifetime starts, with seven wins, a second, and two thirds to her credit, including a gate-to-wire romp in the $324,694 Hudson Filly Trot, at Yonkers Raceway on June 28.

She scored in last week’s Hambletonian Oaks elimination by 1-1/4 lengths over Jonas Czernyson pupil No Pain No Gain and set a new career-best time of 1:55.1 while she was at it. The victory earned her connections the right to draw her post position for this Saturday’s contest, and the filly with the risque name will be leaving from post one, with Andy Miller in the bike to guide her.

Al Libfeld owns Creamy Mimi in partnership with Marvin Katz. But they’re not the only Canadian owners sending a filly postward in the Hambletonian Oaks.

Reve Avec Moi/Dream With Me Stables is hoping their filly, Saorse, will do them proud — and the daughter of Andover Hall-Armbro Gaelic certainly has the credentials to do so. In 18 lifetime starts, she has only been off the board once, and has pocketed $350,394, which more than compensates for her $110,000 yearling price.

In last week’s Hambo Oaks eliminations, Saorse was second to heavy favorite Lantern Kronos and was timed at 1:55.1. Rated in the morning line at 10-1, she’ll be leaving from post position four in the final, with Louis Baudron doing the driving.

Two regulars from the WEG drivers’ colony will also be making appearances in the Hambletonian Oaks. Trevor Ritchie, who will pilot Clerk Magistrate in the $1.5 million Hambletonian, has been assigned to Harald Lunde trainee Prada Hall in the Oaks, while Jody Jamieson will be at the lines of a filly named Two Nts With Her, trained by Torgeir Hagmann.