COTILLION STAKES (Grade 1)

I’M A Chatterbox, swept clear at odds of 2/1 in a field of 11 fillies to take the $1million Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes last Saturday at Parx Racing.

Trained by Larry Jones, I’m A Chatterbox closed from fourth place past pacesetter Calamity Kate in the eight and a half furlong test. Qatar Racing’s Grade 1 winner Peace And War completed the trifecta. It was a first Grade 1 winner for Coolmore America’s stallion, Munnings.

I’m A Chatterbox, who will be aimed at the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland on October 30th, found better fortune than in her past two starts. She was disqualified to second in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks after she interfered with winner Curalina, and then was squeezed at the break of the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes. In the Alabama she was a length and a quarter second behind Embelish The Lace, who only managed a fifth place finish in the Cotillion.

Bred in Kentucky out of the Lost Solider mare Chit Chatter, I’m A Chatterbox has finished no worse than third in six starts this season - all stakes, five of them graded - with victories in the Silverbulletday, Rachel Alexandra (Grade 3), Fair Grounds Oaks (Grade 2), and Cotillion. She was third in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) behind fellow Jones-trained Lovely Maria.

Her latest win improves her record to five wins in 10 career starts for earnings of $1,304,614, and puts her in front rank for the three-year-old filly of the year award.

Frosted is hot in Penn Derby

CHALLENGING three wide at the top of the stretch, Godolphin’s top three-year-old Frosted got the better of Iron Fist and cruised to victory by two lengths in the $1 million Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing last Saturday.

The homebred son of leading sire Tapit was recording his first win since this year’s Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes in April at Aqueduct. His last four races were at the top level, behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in three of those starts, and behind Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red in the other.

Frosted finished fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, second in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, second in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, and most recently third in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes, where he duelled with American Pharoah on the front end before finishing third behind Keen Ice and the Triple Crown winner.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Frosted showed no ill effects of that most recent effort in the Travers. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he will train Frosted up for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.

“He’s a top horse and the last three out of his last four runs have been against American Pharoah, so it’s great he (American Pharoah) wasn’t here and we were able to shine today,” McLaughlin said. “We’ll train on and we’re definitely going to point that way (to the Breeders’ Cup). We’re happy with a little more time.”

Recepta is well-revieved with second straight stakes win

WITH a strong rally through the stretch, Recepta secured her second straight stakes race win and first graded stakes victory in the $200,000 Grade 3 Noble Damsel Stakes over the turf course at Belmont last Saturday.

In the Noble Damsel for fillies and mares, Recepta rallied four-wide under Elvis Trujillo.

As Recepta circled rivals, the four-year-old filly by Speightstown was shadowed by Ben Sangster’s Irish-bred Lady Lara.

Those two duelled through the stretch, with Recepta battling to the line to maintain the advantage and score by half a length, completing the one-mile race over firm turf. Crowley’s Law, trained by Tom Dascombe and ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, put up a bold show in third, with 2/1 favourite Coffee Clique fourth.

Lady Lara, previously trained in Newmaket by Alan Jarvis, was Group 2 placed as a two-year-old in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster in 2013.

DISAPPOINTING

After a disappointing three-year-old season, including a 13th place finish in the 1000 Guineas, Lady Lara improved when winning the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury in September.

The now four-year-old filly moved to Bill Mott’s barn where she has enjoyed notable success, including her first graded win when winning the Grade 2 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March of this year