Hard Aces joining Sadler’s barn

Hard Aces, a 5-year-old who became a stakes winner in a four-length romp in the Louisiana Handicap on Jan. 17, is being sold by Dreamchaser Thoroughbreds and will be sent to the California barn of trainer John Sadler, Larry Jones said Friday. He trained and was a co-owner of Hard Aces, who has won five of 19 starts and earned $215,145.

Jones, who had been preparing Hard Aces for the Mineshaft, said that with the horse set to leave the barn, Albano, who was training toward the Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston, might run instead in the Mineshaft.

I’m a Chatterbox, who led all the way to win the Silverbulletday Stakes by eight lengths for Jones, is among the probables for the Rachel Alexandra. He said he’s expecting another strong performance from I’m a Chatterbox.

“We don’t see a reason not to, unless she bounces out of that race,” said Jones, who also plans to run Lovely Maria in the race.

Besides the Jones duo and Angela Renee, other fillies expected to run are Forever Unbridled (trainer Dallas Stewart), West Coast Belle (Wayne Catalano), and Shook Up (Asmussen). Trainer Al Stall Jr. is considering running Top Decile and Harbour Island.