Romans Shoots for Stakes Trifecta at Churchill

Trainer Dale Romans will saddle a trio of stakes horses at Churchill Downs on Saturday: multiple graded stakes winner Molly Morgan in the $100,000-added Locust Grove; debut maiden winner Cristina’s Journey in the $200,000-added Pocahontas (Grade II) and Danny Boy in the $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII).

 

Romans and Donegal are seeking a repeat in the Iroquois after scoring a 34-1 surprise in last year’s renewal with Cleburne. Danny Boy, like Cleburne, broke his maiden going a mile on turf at Ellis Park.

 

“I start a lot of horses on the turf,” Romans said. “Especially for a little longer distance, I think a lot of them can run well on the grass; just some of them can’t take that to the dirt. I don’t think he’ll have a problem taking to the dirt, nor with the extra distance.

 

“Danny Boy is definitely on a similar path and has the same owners as Cleburne, but their personalities are a little different. Hopefully he’ll take us to victory again.”

 

Danny Boy will break from post position seven with Miguel Mena in the saddle. The 1 1/16-mile Iroquois is the ninth of 11 races on Saturday’s card with a scheduled post time of 4:55 p.m. ET.

 

GSN Racing’s Cristina’s Journey also won her debut at Ellis, going gate-to-wire in a six-furlong maiden race, winning by 4 ¼ lengths.

 

“She’s a ratable horse,” Romans said. “I don’t see her having any trouble going a little further either. Everybody that’s been on her says she’ll do what she wants. If she’s fast and can rate then I’d say she’ll be competitive.”

 

Cristina’s Journey will seek to give Romans his third victory in the 1 1/16-mile event, breaking from post four with Mena at the reigns. Romans captured the 2008-09 Pocahontas with Sara Louise and Sassy Image, respectively. Post time for the Pocahontas, the 10^th race on Saturday’s card, is scheduled for 5:27 p.m. ET.

 

Bill Cubbedge’s Molly Morgan, upset winner of the Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs on June 14, will look to continue her winning ways for Romans in the Locust Grove. Her last effort was a victory in the Gardenia Handicap (GIII) at Ellis.

 

The Fleur de Lis was the first stakes victory for Molly Morgan, who finished fourth in the 2013 Gardenia and sixth in last year’s Locust Grove. Romans is undoubtedly pleased with the mare’s progress in 2014.

 

“She just needed to grow up,” Romans said. “I was lucky that her owner was patient enough with me to let her come around. It’s paid off this year.”

 

Molly Morgan also ran in the July 12 Delaware Handicap (GI) but could only manage a fifth-place finish in the six-horse, 1 1/4-mile event.

 

“I didn’t like her trip at Delaware a whole lot,” Romans said. “But if you look at her numbers, she ran as good up there as she has anywhere. She may have just gotten outrun up there. I think she can run with some of those horses if she would have had a perfect trip, but you can’t have a bump in the road and expect to beat them.”

 

Molly Morgan will break from the far outside in post seven, and Romans said the Breeders’ Cup Distaff could be a goal down the road if she keeps progressing.

 

“If she does well in this race then maybe we go on to the Spinster,” Romans said. “Then the obvious progression would be the Breeders’ Cup Distaff should she continue to improve. We’re going to take it one step at a time though.”

 

The Locust Grove goes as Saturday’s eighth race at 4:24 p.m.