I'm a Chatterbox made it clean sweep of the stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with a resounding 2 1/2-length win in the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks March 28. Fletcher and Carolyn Gray's homebred daughter of Munnings covered the 1-1/16 miles in 1:43.89.
Shook Up chased the winner the length of the stretch but could not cut into her lead. Forever Unbridled was third.
Florent Geroux rode the Kentucky-bred for trainer Larry Jones.
I'm a Chatterbox, the 3-5 favorite in the field of eight, won the Jan. 17 Silverbulletday Stakes at a mile and 70 yards and the Feb. 21 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at the Oaks trip. Jones was quick to say "I guess" when asked if the May 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks was next.
"She is a really nice filly," he said. "We have been very blessed to get to race her. On to Kentucky is the plan."
The Oaks winner is out of the Lost Soldier mare Chit Chatter.
Lothenbach Stables' Audrey's Double required some shoe repair work in the paddock prior to the race which delayed the post parade by a few minutes.
Jugni, a filly by Colonel John ridden by Richard Eramia, took the early lead as the eight-horse cast made their way around the first bend. With an opening quarter in :23.69 seconds and half in :47.03 seconds, Eramia was trying hard to harness the pacesetter's speed. Right to their outside was I'm a Chatterbox, waiting to pounce at any time. Shook Up and Forever Unbridled weren't too far behind.
When Geroux asked for something extra from I'm a Chatterbox, he got it as she eased up to the leader on the turn and quickly got the advantage. After six furlongs in 1:11.19, I'm a Chatterbox was in command but Shook Up was coming with her run while wide in the stretch under Robby Albarado. Forever Unbridled was trying her best while along the inside. She finished a length behind Shook Up and was followed by Danette, Audrey's Double, Tachiello, Desert Valley, and Jugni.
I'm a Chatterbox had to dig deep to the win while under steady encouragement by Geroux.
"She was right where I wanted to be," the jockey said. "She got a little bit bored in the final eighth of a mile but she kept running on."
The winner paid $3.20, $2.40, and $2.10. Shook Up, who had finished fifth in the Rachel Alexandra, returned $3.40 and $2.80. Forever Unbridled -- second in the Silverbulletday and third in the Rachel Alexandra -- paid $2.20. $2 exacta of 6-7 paid $11.
The Greys, who live in Missouri, acquired Chit Chatter, while in foal to Any Given Saturday, for $87,000 at the 2008 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. At the time, they were partners with Kentucky-based Hunter Valley Farm. The Oaks favorite is the first foal out of Chit Chatter since they bought out their partners.
They Grays chose Munnings based on his physical matchup with Chit Chatter and the fact the mating produced an inbreeding to blue hen mare Lady Winborne (the dam of Lost Soldier who appears in Munnings female line).
Four of the last seven Kentucky Oaks winners also won the Louisiana Oaks: Proud Spell (2008),Rachel Alexandra (2009), Believe You Can (2012), and Untapable(2014). Proud Spell and Believe You Can were trained by Jones.