'Chatterbox' Connections Hope for Strong 4-Year-Old Season

If the worktab is any indication of I'm a Chatterbox's readiness to return to the races tomorrow, let's put it this way—she's not playing around.

The fiery chestnut has thrown down two bullet works since arriving at Keeneland in early April, and finally on April 17 jockey Florent Geroux was able to coax her down to a five-furlong pre-race cruise in 1:00 2/5, just fifth-fastest of 21 at the distance on the day instead of first.

"That was about as slow as we could keep her without getting in a wrestling match with her," said trainer Larry Jones, who is prepping Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's homebred for her 2016 debut in the $100,000 Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. III) April 22.

The Grays were were in town the morning of April 21 to spoil their grade I winner with plenty of peppermints prior to her return. She has not raced for their Grayson Farm since a disappointing eighth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) at the end of a long sophomore campaign. Despite the loss, I'm a Chatterbox wound up a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly, an Eclipse Award honor that went to Stellar Wind. 

"We said afterwards, 'She's a champion to us,'" Carolyn Gray remarked. "It was racing luck (in the Breeders' Cup) in October, and she'd had a long campaign."

Last season saw I'm a Chatterbox gallop through eight starts, winning the Cotillion Stakes (gr. I), Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II), Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III), and Silverbulletday Stakes, with a third in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), a DQ from first to second in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I), and a runner-up effort in the Alabama (gr. I).

"She ran all year long," Gray said. "When you think about it, and think about being a 3-year-old, that was something. She just needed a break and freshening up, and she got out and put her head down and ate grass for 45 days and loved it. We didn't really anticipate stopping on her then, because she was in good shape. She's gotten such wonderful care, and was perfectly sound, so why not? That's what she tells us."

I'm a Chatterbox, who the Grays bred when sending their Lost Soldier mare Chit Chatter to Ashford's $25,000 stallion Munnings  , wintered at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and began gearing up in earnest for her return to racing after arriving at Keeneland in early April. 

"We were letting her bring herself back (after the layoff)," Jones said. "We weren't in a hurry. We really weren't trying to get ready for any particular race. You could tell she was getting ready. I thought the Apple Blossom (gr. I, April 15 at Oaklawn) might be a little tough coming off that long layoff. She had broken her maiden at Keeneland, so we liked that.

"And," he added with a grin, "I wanted to prove to myself that running in the Breeders' Cup, it wasn't wrong. She does like Keeneland. This is a good spot."

I'm a Chatterbox is the morning-line favorite at 3/5 in a group of nine for the 1 1/16-mile test. Grade II winner Ah Chocolate is the only other graded stakes winner in the field.

"She's been doing great, she's ready to go back," Gray said. "She's very strong. When Flo (jockey Florent Geroux) gets off of her, he's pleased. When Larry gets off of her, he's excited. You know, everyone is excited."

The filly's connections are hoping I'm a Chatterbox will be even better this year. The $1 million Ogden Phipps (gr. I) on the June 11 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) undercard and the July 5 Delaware Handicap (gr. I) are on the radar as future targets. 

"I think she'll have a strong season if everything goes as Larry thinks and plans," Gray remarked. "She loves her job. That's the part we like so much. She loves her job and you can tell she is excited about going to the track and doing her work. She's intelligent and she has a lot of desire. She's in good shape and she's in the best hands we could possibly have... And we love doing this. We love raising babies but this is really fun, this is icing on the cake."