Spinster Draws Five Looking for Distaff Berth

Larry Jones, trainer of I’m a Chatterbox.

Though Sunday’s Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (GI) is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) in just under four weeks, it’s no surprise that only five tossed their hat into the ring considering this year’s main event for fillies and mares on Racing’s Championship Day may be the most anticipated given the likely presence of champions Songbird, Beholder and Stellar Wind.

Five will attempt to book their Tex Sutton plane ticket to California in Keeneland’s feature for older fillies and mares, including Grade I winner I’m a Chatterbox, who was an uncharacteristic fourth last out in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga. She probably didn’t get her trip that day, as she inherited the pacesetter role, but today she should get her preferred trip stalking the pace.

She’s also back at Keeneland, where she owns a win and a second from three starts over the main track and she’s a winner at the distance, including an 8 ½-length romp in the Obeah Handicap at Delaware earlier this summer. The Larry Jones-trained daughter of Munnings partners again with jockey Florent Geroux and together the pair are deserving of the honors of favorite and a trip to California to take on the best in a month.

Genre rides a two-race win streak, including a graded stakes two back, into this race and while she’s been spending most of her time on trainer Todd Pletcher’s second string, she has shown she’s earned a chance at trying to make the gate in the Breeders’ Cup. She’s kept up with some tough company, including a second to the top choice in the Obeah and a bunch of others. She’s posted some solid numbers, is a winner at the distance and is a solid bet to pick up a bigger piece of the pie.

Paid Up Subscriber is another who finished second to the top choice recently, finishing just 2 ¼ lengths back in the Delaware Handicap. She’s productive, but seems to be best suited to just a rung below the top choice.

Engaginglee and Miss Pink Diva were one-two in the Locust Grove (GIII) at Churchill last time out. Both may prefer shorter distances, especially in Breeders’ Cup qualifying races such as these.

Margaret Ransom

California native and lifelong horsewoman Margaret Ransom is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program. She got her start in racing working in the publicity departments at Calder Race Course and Hialeah Park, as well as in the racing office at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. She then spent six years in Lexington, KY, at BRISnet.com, where she helped create and develop the company’s popular newsletters: Handicapper’s Edge and Bloodstock Journal.

After returning to California, she served six years as the Southern California news correspondent for BloodHorse, assisted in the publicity department at Santa Anita Park and was a contributor to many other racing publications, including HorsePlayer Magazine and Trainer Magazine. She then spent seven years at HRTV and HRTV.com in various roles as researcher, programming assistant, producer and social media and marketing manager.

She has also walked hots and groomed runners, worked the elite sales in Kentucky for top-class consignors and volunteers for several racehorse retirement organizations, including CARMA.

In 2016, Margaret was the recipient of the prestigious Stanley Bergstein Writing Award, sponsored by Team Valor, and was an Eclipse Award honorable mention for her story, “The Shocking Untold Story of Maria Borell,” which appeared on USRacing.com. The article and subsequent stories helped save 43 abandoned and neglected Thoroughbreds in Kentucky and also helped create a new animal welfare law known as the “Borell Law.”

Margaret’s very first Breeders’ Cup was at Hollywood Park in 1984 and she has attended more than half of the Breeders’ Cups since. She counts Holy Bull and Arrogate as her favorite horses of all time. She lives in Pasadena with her longtime beau, Tony, two Australian Shepherds and one Golden Retriever.