Elusive Molly can add to her story in Monday feature

That Elusive Molly has won her last two starts by a combined margin of 20 1/2 lengths is only part of the story of the vastly improved 3-year-old filly, who’ll likely go postward a heavy favorite in Monday’s $46,000 allowance and optional-claiming feature at Gulfstream Park. The one-mile headliner for 3-year-old fillies on dirt highlights a special 12-race Memorial Day card.

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Elusive Molly’s recent saga began Jan. 23 when the daughter of Elusive Quality led throughout for 10 1/2-length maiden win for trainer Mike Maker in a race scheduled for the grass but switched to a wet-fast main track. Elusive Molly was claimed out of the race for $32,000 by trainer Bobby Dibona for himself and Love Thoroughbreds Unlimited.

“I got approached shortly after the race by some people from Puerto Rico who were interested in purchasing the horse privately,” Dibona recalled. “The offer was substantially more than we had claimed her for. My partner and I decided it’s never a bad idea to take a quick profit like that, so we agreed to the deal, which ultimately wound up falling through.”

So Dibona wasted little time striking while the iron was hot, putting Elusive Molly right back into the entries on Feb. 1 in a mid-level optional-claiming and starter-allowance race on turf. But as was the case 10 days earlier, the race was switched to the dirt. Elusive Molly again faced a scratch-reduced field, and she coasted home by 10 lengths in wire-to-wire fashion under John Velazquez as a 4-5 favorite.

“I took some criticism for running her back in just 10 days, but now she wins by 10 again and along comes another offer to buy her, for double the money of the first one,” Dibona said. “And just like the first time, the decision for us to sell was an easy one. The horse was purchased by Michael Dubb, and she was sent to Jason Servis’s barn.”

Shortly after Elusive Molly was bought, Servis was indicted for allegedly administering illegal drugs to horses. So now Elusive Molly is back with Maker.

Maker also entered Spartanka, who returns to a more suitable spot after finishing eighth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. Spartanka finally earned her diploma in her 13th career start earlier this winter.

Another stakes-tested member of the seven-horse field is the well-traveled Fiftyshays Ofgreen, idle since finishing seventh of eight in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes on March 7 at Oaklawn Park. Fifthshays OfGreen, who will be competing at her seventh different racetrack in her seventh career start Monday, finished a tiring third in Aqueduct’s 1 1/8-mile Busanda.