Fev Rover dethroned Moira as Canada’s Horse of the Year last season, but in Sunday’s $500,000 Beverly D. (G2), the latter exacted a measure of revenge. After a thrilling stretch run at Colonial Downs, Moira denied defending champion Fev Rover’s bid for a repeat. In the process, the Kevin Attard trainee secured a free pass to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
The familiar foes had not met since last fall’s Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita, where Moira was third to stellar Europeans Inspiral and Warm Heart. Fev Rover was well below form in 11th. Their diverging trend lines persisted into 2024, and Moira arrived in the wake of a sharp comeback second in the July 13 Diana (G1) at Saratoga.
Thus bettors backed Moira into a 7-10 favorite for the Beverly D. while respecting Fev Rover’s chances of cycling back to top form as the 2.10-1 second choice. The Canadian-based queens performed up to billing in an epic renewal.
Although Libban had the profile of a potential pacesetter, Fev Rover ended up reprising her frontrunning role from the 2023 Beverly D. Yet Libban still made a difference, for her hovering presence ensured that Fev Rover didn’t get away with as slow a tempo this time.
As Fev Rover carved out splits of :23.56, :49.22, and 1:12.69 on the firm outer course, Moira was stalking in third. Libban began to drop back on the far turn, setting the stage for the anticipated match race.
The past two Canadian Horses of the Year engaged turning for home. Moira went wider on the course, and Fev Rover leveraged her ground-saving position to kick away again. Once jockey Jose Ortiz redirected Moira’s attention to the inside, she bore down on the longtime leader in the final yards. Fev Rover fought back, but Moira headed her at the wire.
Neecie Marie closed for third, edging Nadette. Libban retreated to last of the quintet; Mission of Joy was scratched.
By completing 1 3/16 miles in 1:54.80, Moira finished in front of Fev Rover for the fourth time in six meetings. Their official head-to-head record, though, is blotted by Moira’s disqualification in the 2022 E.P. Taylor (G1). Moira crossed the wire in second, only to be demoted to eighth for interference, and Fev Rover was promoted to third.
The archrivals neatly traded decisions in all four clashes in 2023. Moira dominated the Canadian (G2) and fared much better in the Breeders’ Cup, while Fev Rover scored daylight victories in the E.P. Taylor and Nassau (G2). Those performances, plus her triumph in the Beverly D. last summer, made her Canada’s Horse of the Year.
Moira had been honored with that top Sovereign Award for her sophomore campaign in 2022. The daughter of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper was a celebrity on the Woodbine Tapeta before she transferred her game to turf. Moira romped in the Queen’s Plate over males, breaking the 1 1/4-mile track record, after a similar demolition job of her own division in the Woodbine Oaks.
Moira’s scorecard stands at 15-6-5-2, $1,823,999. The bay made a winning debut as a juvenile in the 2021 Princess Elizabeth S. and missed by a half-length in the Mazarine (G3). Her other black-type credits include a score in the 2022 Fury S. and placings in the 2023 Belle Mahone (G3), Nassau, Dance Smartly (G2), and E.P. Taylor.
Attard mentioned that the E.P. Taylor is once again on Moira’s agenda. The Sept. 14 feature at Woodbine is her logical stepping stone to the Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. Moira would be taking her third crack at the Breeders’ Cup, having reported home a better-than-appears fifth in the 2022 Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland.
Moira was bred by Adena Springs in Ontario and originally sold for $150,000 as a Keeneland September yearling to the Donato Lanni-affiliated X Men Racing. In her latest visit to Fasig-Tipton Kentucky’s auction ring in November, she commanded $3 million from DM Ventures. She is now campaigned by Lanni Bloodstock, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing.
Out of the multiple stakes-winning and Grade 2-placed Devine Aida, by Unbridled’s Song, Moira descends from the influential matron Begum.
