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I'm a Chatterbox, Angela Renee square off in Rachel Alexandra
Two of her Silverbulletday opponents hope to turn the tables – runner-up Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) and fourth-placer West Coast Belle (Tapit). Forever Unbridled closed well that day in only her third career start for Dallas Stewart, who also trained her dam, 2006 Kentucky Oaks upsetter Lemons Forever. Stewart has another entrant in Pleasant Tales (Tale of Ekati), who exits a local maiden score in the slop. West Coast Belle lost her perfect record in the Silverbulletday. The Wayne Catalano pupil was previously victorious in the October 26 Rags to Riches and the Golden Rod, however, easily dispatching I'm a Chatterbox in the latter, and looms as a rebound candidate. I'm a Chatterbox will be joined by stablemates Lovely Maria (Majesticperfection) and White Clover (Exchange Rate). Lovely Maria was fourth after a less than ideal trip in her only prior stakes attempt, the December 14 Trapeze S. at Remington, but came back to surprise heavily favored Shook Up (Tapit) in a Fair Grounds allowance January 25. Jockey Kerwin Clark engineered a heady front-running ride, which poses an interesting tactical question with respect to I'm a Chatterbox in this spot. White Clover, most recently fourth in a turf allowance, tries stakes company and a dirt route for the first time. Shook Up, who sports a Triple Crown nomination, showed signs of inexperience when settling for second to Lovely Maria. The Steve Asmussen filly is royally bred as a daughter of Grade 1 winner Sugar Shake, and talented, having broken her maiden by 13 lengths in her prior start. But given her apparent unhappiness on the inside last time, she has something to prove -- especially after drawing the rail again in the Rachel Alexandra.
Fair Grounds hosts an additional quartet of stakes on Saturday. Pletcher's Hawthorne Gold Cup (G2) hero Red Rifle (Giant's Causeway) is the one to beat in the $125,000 Mineshaft H. (G3), a stepping stone to the March 28 New Orleans H. (G2). Others to note in the 1 1/16-mile affair for older horses are Hard Aces (Hard Spun), four-length winner over Fordubai (E Dubai) in the Louisiana H. January 17; Long Branch scorer Irish You Well (Broken Vow), unraced since finishing fourth in the Haskell Invitational (G1) in July; Neil Howard's useful Class Leader (Smart Strike); and Southern California invaders Majestic Harbor (Rockport Harbor), Mystery Train (Not for Sale) and Quadrivium (Henrythenavigator). Nate's Mineshaft (Mineshaft), the 2012 winner of this race in his sire's honor, is cross-entered to the Duncan F. Kenner. Reigning Mervin H. Muniz Jr. (G2) winner Skyring (English Channel) returns for the $125,000 Fair Grounds H. (G3) over the same 1 1/8-mile trip on the turf. Just missing in this prep race a year ago when trained by D. Wayne Lukas, he makes his second start for another Hall of Famer in Neil Drysdale. Skyring was most recently fifth in the January 3 San Gabriel (G2) without blinkers and puts the headgear back on here. His leading competitors include the Pletcher-trained Pyrite Mountain (Silent Name) and locally based Highball (Lemon Drop Kid), Villandry (Mr. Greeley), Golden Soul (Perfect Soul) and Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride). Trainer Graham Motion has cross-entered Mineshaft contender Quadrivium to the Fair Grounds ‘Cap, which could also mark the debut of British import Glenard (Arch) for the same barn. The $60,000 Bayou S., held at 1 1/16 miles on turf, features a rematch of the top four from the January 17 Marie Krantz Memorial -- Notte d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), Eden Prairie (Mizzen Mast), Hung the Moon (Malibu Moon) and Samiam (Dynaformer) -- plus a classy new shooter in Istanford (Istan). Trained by Mike Stidham like her rivals Notte d'Oro and Hung the Moon, Istanford scored an historic win over males in last May's Arlington Classic (G3). The confirmed front runner later annexed the San Clemente H. (G2) and Sandy Blue at Del Mar before trailing in the October 4 First Lady (G1) at Keeneland. She kicks off her four-year-old campaign here. Recent allowance winners Nice Number (Pioneerof the Nile) and Compelling Case (Successful Appeal) are also worth a look. Sprint kingpin Delaunay (Smoke Glacken) looms large in the $60,000 Duncan F. Kenner, a six-furlong dash that he'd won back in 2013 and finished second in last year. The Tom Amoss charge brings razor-sharp form off wins in both the November 27 Thanksgiving H. and January 3 Bonapaw over the track. His opponents include stablemate Bellarmine (Magna Graduate), who shortens up second time out for Amoss, and Bonapaw third Bet Seattle (Seattle Fitz), who returned to wire a salty allowance.
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