By Ben Massam
Carolyn and Fletcher Gray's I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings) has found herself on both sides of controversial stewards decisions in her last two seasons at the track, and the chestnut will aim to settle the score with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Curalina (Curlin) in Saturday's GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga. I'm a Chatterbox bested her rival by a nose in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks last July, only to be disqualified for drifting out late, and the chestnuts are set to meet again over the same trip and track as 4-year-olds.
I'm a Chatterbox earned her first Grade I victory in the Cotillion S. last September and failed to fire in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff–a race in which Curalina was third–in October. The Larry Jones trainee appears to be cycling back into prime form with two consecutive wins at her Delaware Park home base, including a 2 1/2-length victory in the GI Delaware H. July 16. Many argued that the homebred should have been disqualified that day for bumping multiple foes at the break, but the result was allowed to stand.
Curalina, meanwhile, notched her third win at the highest level in Churchill Downs' GI La Troienne S. May 6, and bounced back from a disappointing fourth in the June 11 GI Ogden Phipps S. with a runaway 9 1/4-length tally in the GIII Shuvee H. going nine furlongs at the Spa July 31.
“For as convincingly as she won, she was geared down the last part and won pretty easily,” trainer Todd Pletcher told the NYRA notes team. “I thought she bounced out of it really well.”
The two fillies who beat Curalina in the Phipps are also back to make their first start since that spring fixture in the Personal Ensign. Stonestreet Stables' 'TDN Rising Star' Cavorting (Bernardini) was an authoritative winner of the Phipps, and returns to Saratoga to put her unbeaten record from three starts over the local strip on the line. Winner of last summer's GI Test S. going seven furlongs, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee will be making her first start around two turns Saturday. Despite her lack of experience at an extended distance, Cavorting finished with good energy in the Phipps and has now paired back-to-back Beyer Speed Figures over 100 in two consecutive tries at a mile or over. Charles Fipke's Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) rounded out the exacta in the Phipps after steadying in upper stretch, and it is reasonable to project that she would have been right there at the finish with Cavorting had she not encountered trouble. A notch below the leaders of her class as a 3-year-old, the bay stamped herself as a force to be reckoned with by virtue of her win in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 15.
Paid Up Subscriber (Candy Ride {Arg}), an even second after being bumped in a domino effect by I'm a Chatterbox at the start of the Delaware H., completes the field. The Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence colorbearer previously annexed the GII Fleur de Lis H. at Churchill Downs June 18.
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