(edited press release)
Irish-bred FEV ROVER (IRE), fresh off a victory in the Beverly D. (G1T), is back to defend her title in the $200,000 Canadian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T), Saturday at Woodbine.
Owned by Tracy Farmer, Fev Rover heads into the about 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares, three-year-olds and up, off an authoritative score in the $500,000 Beverly D. Taking command early with Javier Castellano aboard, the well-travelled mare set modest fractions and then fired home to notch a 3 ½-length triumph in the 1 3/16-mile race.
With the win, the five-year-old Gutaifan (IRE) mare earned an automatic berth into the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) this November at Santa Anita Park.
Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse is effusive in his praise of Fev Rover, who launched her 2023 campaign with a dominant effort in the one-mile Nassau (G2T) on July 1 at Woodbine before heading to the U.S. for her next two races.
“Honestly, I’ve just been over the moon with all three of her performances this year,” said Casse. “I sat and watched the Nassau with my mouth open, seeing the ease with which she was able to win. And then we went to the Diana (G1T) on July 15. We were coming back kind of quick, but she was training so well. She’s a beautiful, powerful filly. She is tough. I thought we got a little unlucky in the Diana. Flavien (jockey, Prat) did a great job of keeping Javier (Castellano) stuck down on the rail with nowhere to go. When he finally got out, she came running and just got beat by a half-length.”
Fev Rover, at 3-5, got back on the winning track in the Beverly D.
“Javier and I were flying to Colonial Downs, and we were talking about the race,” started Casse. “He said, ‘There’s no speed in this race.’ I agreed and told him that she can go right to the lead. The nice thing about her, and (champion and dual Hall of Fame mare) Tepin was the same way, is that a great horse can bring their A-game no matter the situation. So, we went right to the lead, and it was over when that happened.”
After a prosperous career in France at age two and three, where she won two stakes, one a Group 2, and placed in three other group races, including twice at the top level, Fev Rover was bought by Farmer in late 2021 for the equivalent of $971,704 (U.S.) from the Musley Bank Stables consignment to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
The North American chapter of Fev Rover’s career began at Woodbine last July when she finished second in the Dance Smartly (G2T). One month later, she gutted out a nose win in the Canadian, and then was fourth, placed third, after a troubled trip in the E.P. Taylor (G1T) on October 8.
She brings a 5-4-3 mark and $948,776 in earnings from 17 starts into the Canadian.
“I wanted to get her back to Woodbine,” said Casse. “I wanted two more races into her before the Breeders’ Cup. I thought the E.P. Taylor (G1T, on October 8) would be a good one for her, and I would like to try and win that. I thought the race this Saturday would set up nicely for her. I like the timing of it. Plus, I wanted to get her back to Woodbine because she loves to train over the Tapeta.”
Casse will also send out Talbeyah, another Irish-bred owned by Farmer. The five-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega (IRE)-Thai Haku (IRE) is 3-0-0 from 13 starts.
“She’s a nice filly in her own right,” said Casse. “She’s not on the same level as Fev Rover, but she’s certainly a nice one.”
Moira, Canada’s reigning horse of the year, 2023 Dance Smartly (G2T) winner Miss Dracarys, graded stakes winner Skims (GB), multiple graded stakes winner Atomic Blonde (GER), and graded stakes-placed Ready Lady will also go postward.
Saturday’s 12-race card at Woodbine also includes the running of the $150,000 Pattison Singspiel Stakes (G3T).
The world-renowned E.P. Taylor turf will play host to the 1 ¼-mile Singspiel, a race for three-year-olds and upward that has drawn eight hopefuls, including MALIBU MAMBO.
A six-year-old son of Point of Entry-Polyantha Rose, Malibu Mambo heads into his first stakes race since running third in the 2021 Dominion Day (G3) on a winning note.
Sent off at 4-1 in the 1 ¼-mile race over a “good” E.P. Taylor turf on August 12, the dark bay, under a sharp ride by David Moran, led by a half-length at the stretch call and then powered on to a 1 ½-length victory.
“He ran the whole way and was full of run at the end, which was nice,” said trainer Mike Doyle, who co-owns the gelding with Dura Racing. “It was the perfect race, where he sat off them and it worked out well. He didn’t win easily, but he drew off at the end a bit, so it was good from that point of view.”
Malibu Mambo made a winning debut on August 31, 2019, a 2 ¼-length triumph at seven panels on the Woodbine Tapeta.
Bred by Adena Springs, Malibu Mambo is 4-5-4 from 18 starts and has purse earnings of $293,315 (U.S.).
“He’s doing well and we’re taking a shot,” said Doyle. “He’s run well all three times this year. The first start, he got very tired, the second start, he got a little tired. He’s a big, huge horse, so it took a while to get him ready. He’s also had a few issues, which we have taken care of.”
With David Moran sidelined by injury, Dylan Davis gets the call on Saturday. Amber Hutchinson is the groom.
Other starters include multiple graded stakes winner Rockemperor (IRE), trained by Chad Brown, and 2021 Woodbine Mile (G1T) winner Town Cruise.
Dual Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield has won eight editions of the Singspiel, including five consecutive victories, from 2009-13. He sends out defending champion Ready for the Lady in this year’s running.
The race is named after the Irish-bred son of In the Wings (GB), whose nine victories in 20 lifetime starts included the 1996 Canadian International Stakes.
First race post time on Saturday is set for 1:05 p.m. Fans can wager on all the action via HPIbet.com, bet365, and the Dark Horse Bets app.
$200,000 Canadian Stakes (G2T) – Race 10
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Fev Rover (IRE) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
2 – Moira – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard
3 – Miss Dracarys – Dylan Davis – Neil Drysdale
4 – Skims (GB) (S) – John Velazquez – Shug McGaughey III
5 – Atomic Blonde (GER) – Kazushi Kimura – Christophe Clement
6 – Talbeyah (IRE) – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
7 – Ready Lady (S) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield
$150,000 Singspiel Stakes (G3T) – Race 8
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Ready for the Lady – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield
2 – Dun Drum – Ryan Munger – Ian Black
3 – British Royalty – Patrick Husbands – Barbara Minshall
4 – Rockemperor (IRE) – Kazushi Kimura – Chad Brown
5 – Collective Force (S) – Rafael Hernandez – Rachel Halden
6 – Palazzi – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse
7 – Town Cruise (S) – Keveh Nicholls – Brandon Greer
8 – Malibu Mambo – Dylan Davis – Michael Doyle
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