Molly Morgan narrowly prevails in Gardenia

Livi Mackenzie held third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Tapit's World, and was

followed under the wire by Frivolous, Interest Free, Ocean Bertie, Quiet

Success, and Lucy's Revenge. Liberated was scratched.

The late-blooming mare took six tries to break her maiden during the 2011-12

season, and didn't enter the stakes ranks until last year. Romans sent the bay

into the Gardenia last August, when she ran a decent fourth at 50-1.

She wasn't as fortunate in the Locust Grove next out when a well-beaten

sixth, and could do no better than a one-paced, distanced seventh in the Falls

City Handicap to close out her four-year-old campaign in November. Molly Morgan

was eighth in her January 15 seasonal debut against allowance company on

Gulfstream's turf, finished third against similar on the Gulfstream dirt in

mid-March and surprised many with her second in the La Troienne at Churchill

Downs on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Molly Morgan earned her first stakes victory in June 14 Fleur de Lis

Handicap, a Grade 2 event at Churchill Downs, by four lengths, but was only

fifth of six last out in the Delaware Handicap. Her record now stands at

23-6-3-5, $450,739.

Bred in Kentucky by Cubbedge, Mike Lauffer and Greg McDonald, Molly Morgan is

listed as sold for $90,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2010. She is out

of the dual stakes-placed Distorted Humor mare Capitulation and her female

family includes champion turf mare Soaring Softly; Canadian champion Wavering

Girl; and Grade 1 scorers Plenty of Grace, Noble's Promise and Military.

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