Molly Morgan back at favorite track for La Troienne
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Grade 1 races in the older filly and mare division that don’t have Untapable or Beholder in the field figure to be wide-open events.
Take, for example, Friday’s Grade 1, $300,000 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs, where five of the nine entrants are listed between 3-1 and 5-1 on the morning line.
Molly Morgan, second in this race last year, might be primed to improve upon that effort in what will be her second start of the year. In the Grade 2 Royal Delta at Gulfstream, Molly Morgan finished a well-beaten third behind Sheer Drama – also in this field – and next-out stakes winner House Rules. In the 1 1/16-mile La Troienne, Molly Morgan returns to a surface over which she has a record of 5-3-2 from 13 starts.
“I thought it was a good setup for her coming back to the track she likes the best,” trainer Dale Romans said.
The La Troienne features the return of My Miss Sophia, the 2014 Kentucky Oaks runner-up. Formerly trained by Todd Pletcher, My Miss Sophia was purchased at auction last November for $2.15 million by Robert Clay’s Alpha Delta Stables and turned over to trainer Bill Mott. She was scratched out of the Doubledogdare on April 23 at Keeneland to run here.
Mott also runs America, the winner of the Affectionately Stakes on New Year’s Day for owner Bobby Flay.
Gold Medal Dancer, who defeated the 3-year-old champion Untapable in the Grade 2 Azeri before losing to that same opponent in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom, is another contender.
La Troienne Stakes, race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Molly Morgan (Last 3 Beyers: 84-92-91)
◗ She is a two-time graded stakes winner over the Churchill surface, winning the Fleur de Lis after finishing second to the favored On Fire Baby in this race last year.
◗ Comes off a third-place finish in her seasonal debut at Gulfstream to Sheer Drama, to whom she spotted six pounds. On Friday, they carry equal weights.
“Of course you want to win every race, but if you’re going into this race, I’d rather see her coming off an eight-length [defeat] than doing too much first time out,” Romans said.
Gold Medal Dancer (Last 3 Beyers; 94-97-94)
◗ Upset champion Untapable in the Azeri when put on the lead through soft fractions by Luis Quinonez, as Untapable was making her first start in four months.
◗ Was no match for Untapable in the Apple Blossom and ran third all the way around the track, missing second by a neck.
◗ Trainer Donnie Von Hemel said he believes Gold Medal Dancer just needs to be placed “where she’s comfortable” and not necessarily on the lead.
Sheer Drama (Last 3 Beyers; 99-91-87)
◗ In career-best form right now, having won the Royal Delta convincingly over House Rules, who came back to win the Top Flight at Aqueduct.
◗ Has been first or second in nine of 11 dirt starts.
My Miss Sophia (Last 3 Beyers: 74-69-100)
◗ Away from the races since last September, when she finished fifth as the odds-on favorite in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park.
◗ Earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure when second in last year’s Kentucky Oaks over this surface.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 My Miss Sophia. Trainer Bill Mott is 9-1-2-1 with a $0.57 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes in the first start following a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Sweet Whiskey. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 24-7-2-2 with a $4.86 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route in dirt graded stakes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan