Thoroughbred Daily News
8/12/24
Alan Carasso
For the second consecutive year, the trophy for the GII Beverly D. Stakes will go back to Canada after the country's 2022 Horse of the Year Moira (Ghostzapper) got just the better of an entertaining final-furlong tussle with defending champion and reigning HOTY Fev Rover (Ire)
The Tracy Farmer runner left there running and although she had a bit of pesky early pressure from Libban (Laoban), Fev Rover was a clear leader turning up the backside as Moira set up camp three deep in the breeze. Allowed to slow the tempo through the middle furlongs, Fev Rover was still going very well approaching the stretch, holding a clear tactical advantage over Moira, who was consigned to a ground-sacrificing move around the bend. Moira rolled up to Fev Rover and looked as if she was going to speed right on by, but Fev Rover dug in doggedly, only to go down by a short head at the wire.
With the victory, Moira earns a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, a race in which she was a brave third in 2023.
“It's always nerve-wracking when you hook Fev Rover,” said trainer Kevin Attard. “She's a great horse and Mark (Casse) has done a great job with her. Last year at Woodbine, we hooked a couple times on soft turf. I think Fev Rover gets the edge over us on softer ground but Moira prefers the harder turf. We contemplated not coming here because of Tropical Storm Debby but we rolled the dice. I've never been (to Colonial Downs) but I had heard great things about this turf course that it drains well.
“I know Woodbine has got a great turf course but Colonial is probably one of the best in North America as well. We've got the E.P. Taylor at home. I think that's a race we are going to take into consideration and that would take us right into the Breeders' Cup.”
Moira, who defeated the boys in the 2022 Queen's Plate, made the GII Canadian Stakes her lone victory of 2023, but her season could hardly be characterized as fruitless. Second in the GIII Belle Mahone Stakes on the synth and in the GII Nassau Stakes and GII Dance Smartly Stakes on the grass prior to her lone win, she was third to Fev Rover in the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes and filled the same spot behind the world-class Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Filly & Mare Turf.
She changed hands for $3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale a few days later and was kept in training at five, returning to run home a game second to the repeating Whitebeam (GB) (Caravaggio) in the GI Diana Stakes July 13.
