'Chatterbox' Looms Heavy Del Cap Favorite

Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's homebred I'm a Chatterbox, an easy winner of the Obeah Stakes in her last start, could be heavily favored versus five other fillies and mares in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (gr. I) July 16 at Delaware Park.

Trained by Larry Jones, I'm a Chatterbox, a 4-year-old by Munnings   out of the Lost Soldier mare Chit Chatter, captured her first grade I stakes last September in the Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing and then finished a troubled eighth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) in October to conclude her 3-year-old season.

I'm a Chatterbox returned to the races in April at Keeneland and finished second, 2 1/4 lengths behind Brooklynsway, in the grade III Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes. She then won the 1 1/8-mile Obeah at Delaware Park by 8 1/2 lengths June 11 in her prep for the 1 1/4-mile Del Cap.

"She has been doing well," Jones, who bases his stable at Delaware Park for the summer, told track media officials. "We have worked her one time since the Obeah, but she got enough out of that race to cover her a long way. She should be ready to go.

"We kind of had to go into Obeah one work short of what I intended; needless to say it worked out OK. She won and ran well, but the Obeah should have us ready and where we need to be."

I'm a Chatterbox, a winner of $1,384,614 in 13 starts, will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who has been aboard for nine of her starts, from post 4 in the six-horse field. Gabriel Saez rode her in the Obeah, which went in a soft 1:53.20 on a tack rated fast; Geroux, who watched the replay, contacted Jones after the race.

"She opened a sizable lead, and (Geroux) said she just started losing focus," Jones said. "When she gets a lead like that, you just have to keep her really focused if you want her to do more. He told me I shouldn't worry about it."

Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's lightly raced Paid Up Subscriber, winner of the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis Stakes (gr. II) June 18 at Churchill Downs in her first start around two turns, drew the rail position with Ricardo Santana Jr. named. The 4-year-old Candy Ride   filly should be well-suited for the Del Cap distance, trainer Al Stall Jr. said.

The lone entrant exiting a grade I event is Godolphin Racing's Penwith, a 5-year-old Bernardini   mare trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. Penwith, to be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 6, finished sixth and last in the La Troienne (gr. I) at Churchill May 6 but earlier in the year won the grade II Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park.