I'm a Chatterbox headed to Houston

I’m a Chatterbox has two major objectives for the first half of the year, and the initial one comes Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park. A multiple Grade 1 winner, I’m a Chatterbox will make her first start since the Breeders’ Cup in the Houston Ladies Classic.

The Grade 3, $400,000 race is the richest Thoroughbred offering in Texas and will anchor a card of five stakes. The program includes the Grade 3, $250,000 Connally Turf Cup, a 1 1/2-mile race for 4-year-olds and up that drew a trio of entries from trainer Mike Maker.

Larry Jones trains I’m a Chatterbox, who drew post 4 in a field of seven when entries for the Houston Ladies Classic were taken Monday. Jones is seeking his third win in the 1 1/16-mile race and said it’s the right fit for I’m a Chatterbox.

“We want to run here, give her a break, then go to the Delaware Handicap,” Jones said.

I’m a Chatterbox won the Delaware Handicap last July. In her most recent out, she was fifth to champion Beholder in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Jones had entered I’m a Chatterbox in a recent turf stakes at her base of Fair Grounds, but that was a backup plan in the event she was unable to make the Houston Ladies Classic due to movement restrictions placed on Fair Grounds horses in the wake of equine herpesvirus positives there. A quarantine there was lifted last weekend, however, and on Wednesday morning Sam Houston opened its stable area to horses from “unaffected barns” at Fair Grounds. Jones said I’m a Chatterbox was to ship to Sam Houston on Thursday.

Florent Geroux has the mount for Missouri-based owners Fletcher and Carolyn Gray. The complete Houston Ladies Classic field from the rail with riders is: Danzatrice, Luis Saez; Another Bond Girl, David Cabrera; Family Tree, Julien Leparoux; I’m a Chatterbox, Geroux; Tiffany Case, DeShawn Parker; Steel Cut, Robby Albarado; and Unbridled Mo, Jose Ortiz.

The Houston Ladies Classic will go as the ninth race on a 10-race program that starts at noon Central. The five stakes will run consecutively on Sunday, starting with the $75,000 Frontier Utilities Turf Sprint, which goes as the sixth race with a field of 12. It will be followed by the $50,000 Space City for 3-year-olds at six furlongs, the Connally, the Houston Ladies Classic, and the $50,000 Houston Distaff for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

The Connally drew eight horses. Maker is sending Bigger Picture, who breaks from post 4 with Jose Ortiz to ride; Greengrassofyoming, post 5 with Albarado; and Oscar Nominated, post 8 with Geroux.

The forecast for Sunday is partly sunny and a high of 64 degrees, according to The Weather Channel.