Jones bringing reinforcements for Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Neither Curalina nor the stewards chased Larry Jones out of Saratoga for good.

Jones trains I’m a Chatterbox, who was disqualified from first place by the stewards in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 26, and he is indeed coming back for more in Saturday’s Grade 1 Alabama Stakes. And he’s not just bringing back I’m a Chatterbox. He also is bringing Lovely Maria, the Kentucky Oaks winner.

I’m a Chatterbox bumped late with Curalina in the Coaching Club American Oaks, and Curalina was put up to first place.

Both I’m a Chatterbox and Lovely Maria put in workouts Monday at Delaware Park. Lovely Maria, who finished a dull fifth as the 1-5 favorite in the Delaware Oaks on July 11, went five furlongs in 59.20 seconds, while I’m a Chatterbox went the same distance in 1:00.40. The fillies worked by themselves.

With I’m a Chatterbox having run just four weeks ago, Jones said she didn’t need to do as much as Lovely Maria did.

“Right now, we’re pretty happy with where we’re sitting and what they’ve done, like getting this morning’s work out of the way,” Jones said from Delaware Park. “Both are doing well, came back well, are cooling out well. Neither one is drinking an excessive amount of water, so that makes us feel like we’re coming into this one good.”

Jones said a virus was going through his Delaware barn around the time Lovely Maria competed in the Delaware Oaks, and he feels that impacted her performance. I’m a Chatterbox had two additional weeks to get over anything she may have had.

Jones still isn’t convinced that I’m a Chatterbox interfered with Curalina in the CCA Oaks.

“I think if you throw it out there 100 times, it wasn’t going to be 100 decisions to reverse the order,” Jones said. “I think there are a lot of times where they’d say that stands and there’s gonna be times when it would come down. It was a controversial deal, and with me being on the losing end of it, of course I got to be bitter about it.”

Jones said both of his fillies were scheduled to go back to the track Tuesday for a jog at Delaware Park. Provided both are in good order, they would leave by van late Tuesday night and arrive at Saratoga early Wednesday.

A field of seven is expected to be entered in the Alabama on Wednesday. In addition to Jones’s pair and Curalina, the Alabama is expected to attract Mother Goose winner Include Betty, Danette, Embellish the Lace, and Sweetgrass.