American rider JAVIER CASTELLANO put on a clinic at Woodbine on Sunday, October 8, winning four of the 11 races including the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes board FEV ROVER (IRE) for Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse.
Fev Rover, a five-year-old mare who came to Canada a year ago for a trio of races, has been one of 2023’s top horses in Canada. The Taylor victory, her second Grade 1 this year and third win in five races, puts her in the lead for Canadian Horse of the Year honours.
Fev Rover benefitted from a brilliant ride by Castellano, who allowed his mare to lead for half of the 1 1/4 mile race on turf that was making its way from good to yielding. But when Castellano let his mount drop back on the final turn as Rocky Sky (Ire) and Skims (GB) insisted on having the lead to themselves, most watching would have thought Fev Rover was done for the day.
“I expected my horse to be on the lead, galloping along,” said Castellano, who had ridden Fev Rover (Gutaifan-Ire), to victory in the Beverly D (G1) Stakes at Colonial Downs on Aug. 12. “I felt a lot of pressure outside so I tried to ride a smart race and let those pace runners go to the lead.”
Castellano guided Fev Rover off the inside and moved three wide into the stretch run, drifted to the inside and pulled away to a 2 1/4 length win in 2:04.20 for a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
Casse said to Canadian Thoroughbred, “When she’s good, she’s very good.”
Fev Rover has a fascinating history as she was originally a $24,580 Goffs yearling, sold by breeder Manister House to Nick Bradley. Named for the professional rugby team, the Featherstone Rovers of England, Fev Rover won a Group 2 as a juvenile and was third in the English 1000 Guineas as a sophomore.
In December 2021, her three-year-old season, she was sold at the Tattersalls Mares Sale for a whopping $971,704 to Farmer. She’s just about won that price back. Her career record is six wins in 19 races and earnings of $1.2 million.
Fev Rover, who earned a free berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita next month, defeated Godolphin’s With the Moonlight and 2022 Canadian Horse of the Year Moira, who rallied well while wide off the last turn to pick up her first Grade 1 placing.
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