I'm a Chatterbox hopes to get her picture taken in Personal Ensign

I'm a Chatterbox made some noise here last year at Saratoga, but yet still left Saratoga Race Course without making it to the winner's circle. The Larry Jones-trained filly crossed the finish line in front in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks but was disqualified for interference and placed second behind Curalina. I'm a Chatterbox returned later in the 2015 meet to finish second in the Grade 1 Alabama.

The 4-year-old is back in Saratoga, and seeks a victory in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, where she will meet four others, including Curalina.

"[I'm a Chatterbox] has decided she really wants a win picture from here, so we are going to see what we can do about that. Hopefully, the third time will be a charm," Jones quipped Friday morning outside his barn.

A winner of $1.8 million, I'm a Chatterbox enters the Grade 1 Personal Ensign following back-to-back wins at Delaware Park, in the Obeah and Grade 1 Delaware Handicap.

She will break from the rail under regular rider Florent Geroux.

"That's the beautiful thing about her; she's won on the lead and she's won from coming dead last," Jones remarked. "It really doesn't matter to her. The small field means they are all going to be clumped together. There isn't a whole lot of difference between first and fifth in the early going."

A daughter of Munnings, I'm a Chatterbox has never been a horse to carry much weight, but Jones said she did begin to blossom this summer.

"She seems to be coming to hand really good right now," he commented. "She is a lot bigger and stronger and she is carrying more weight now than ever. She really started getting good after the Obeah at Delaware - it's where you could see she was really turning into a 4-year-old. I think just looking at her, she's the best she has ever been. She always been kind of a lean-made filly - I always wanted a few more pounds on her, but it looks like we've got her where I would like to have her."

*         *         *

Birdatthewire has rolled snake eyes in six starts this year, but trainer Dale Romans thinks Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina Stakes could be lucky seven for the 4-year-old filly when she contests the Grade 1 event at seven furlongs.

"The distance is right for her. It's a prestigious race and it does a lot for her resume. This is the logical spot," the Eclipse Award-winning trainer said.

The daughter of 2009 Travers and Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird and the granddaughter of 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone last found the winner's circle in December when she came flying from far back to prevail by a half-length in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita.

She exits a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 31 and has been working well over the Saratoga surface leading up to her date in the starting gate with nine other fleet fillies and mares. She has a tendency to get away slowly from the gate and then bide her time at the back of the pack and before kicking in down the lane.

"Any time you sprint these fillies there's going to be some speed. Hopefully it materializes and she can come running," Romans said.

One year ago, Romans and Keen Ice spoiled the Travers party for Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, upsetting the prohibitive favorite and handing the horse his only loss of the year. Now Romans finds his name on the list of celebrated horsemen who have won one of the most prestigious races in North America.

"Last year was a big deal. It was very historic and a very special day," he said. "This year we've got a bunch of good young horses in the barn and a lot to look forward to. Life is good."

*         *         *

Through a career that began on closing day of the 2014 Saratoga Race Course meet, Chalk Racing's Ready for Rye has been a model of consistency. Now 4, the City Zip gelding has finished in the top three in 14 of 15 lifetime starts, with five wins, three in stakes.

Following a year in which he won four of eight races including the Grade 2 Swale last March at Gulfstream Park, Ready for Rye has yet to find success this year. He is winless in five starts, with two seconds and three thirds, heading into Saturday's Grade 1 Priority One Jets Forego.

"It's been that kind of a year. They're all running well. They're getting close, and hopefully we can get a step closer this time," trainer Tom Albertrani said. "He's been running really well going into all of his races. He never runs a bad one, really."

Ready for Rye has not won since taking the Allied Forces last September at Belmont Park to cap a three-race win streak that included a victory in the Quick Call at Saratoga and beating elders on July 4 at Belmont, both on grass. He carried that momentum to the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, where he set the pace but weakened to seventh facing older horses for a second time.

"He's always been [consistent], apart from the Breeders' Cup. Under the circumstances, he was on the lead setting some pretty strong fractions over a soft turf course and just didn't quite get there," Albertrani said. "Other than that race, he's always right there."

Ready for Rye is coming off back-to-back third-place finishes at Belmont in the Grade 3 Jaipur at six furlongs on grass and the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship behind Forego program favorite A.P. Indian at seven furlongs on dirt. He was also third in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint and second in the Diablo and Grade 3 Commonwealth.

The Forego is a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint, run at six furlongs on dirt November 5 at Santa Anita.

"He can do either surface. Our objective would be to probably get him back on the grass after this race and hopefully go to the Breeders' Cup Turf [Sprint] again," Albertrani said. "The Forego is one race we'd like to try to win. With this horse we have some options."

Ready for Rye drew post 9 in a field of 12 for the Forego and is listed at 10-1 on the morning line. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez replaces regular rider Javier Castellano, who will be aboard Katherine Ball's Limousine Liberal, runner-up to Runhappy in last year's Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga.

Albertrani also will saddle 7-year-old warhorse Twilight Eclipse in the Grade 1, $1 million Longines Sword Dancer.

"Twilight Eclipse is an amazing horse," observed Dan Stupp, Albertrani's assistant. "He's training better than ever, even though he's a seven-year-old now. He's always happy. He loves the work and takes his job seriously. He trains every day and hasn't lost a step in the mornings, and he runs every time in the afternoon. He can fight every time."

Source: NYRA Communications