Moira Pre-Entered in Breeders' Cup F & M Turf; Dettori Named

MOIRA, the ‘Queen’ of Canadian racing in 2022 based on her scintillating Queen’s Plate victory, will be among the pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) at Keeneland on November 5. Pre-entries for the Breeders Cup World Championships are due Monday, October 24 for the two-day racing extravaganza, now entering its 39th edition.

In addition, should Moira get into the field for the 1 3/16 mile turf race, she will have world-renowned jockey Frankie Dettori on board. Donato Lanni, who heads X-Men Racing Stable, co-owner of Moira along with Madaket Racing and SF Bloodstock, also announced on the X-Men Racing Twitter that Dettori would also ride LAST CALL, the stable’s 2-year-old filly, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf on Nov. 4.

There should be a nice little Canadian contingent headed to the Breeders’ Cup. In addition to Moira and Kentucky-bred Last Call, both trained by Woodbine trainer Kevin Attard, the stakes-winning 2-year-old filly CAIRO CONSORT, trained by Nathan Squires for William Thompson, is heading to the Juvenile Filly Turf after her second-place finish to Last Call. Unbeaten 2-year-old BUSHIDO, owned by the Bushido Syndicate and trained by Darwin Banach, is expected to be pre-entered in the Juvenile Turf. And Charles Fipke’s SHIRL’S SPEIGHT, trained by Roger Attfield, is being pointed to the Mile. Fipke’s mare LADY SPEIGHTSPEARE could also be pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

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Ontario-bred Moira, who won the Woodbine Oaks and then the Plate, had a wild journey in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on the turf at Woodbine on Oct. 8. Making her first start on the turf against older horses, Moira had a good stalking trip behind a slow pace but lacked from off the turn for home. Under her regular rider Rafael Hernandez, Moira was then steered inwards sharply to make a fast rush to just miss winning by a neck. Unfortunately, that aggressive move caused Moira to be disqualified for interfering with Chad Brown-trained Lemista and she was placed eighth. Moira earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the E.P. Taylor.

There are more than a dozen horses on the list of possible entries for the Filly & Mare Turf and a maximum of 14 horses can compete in the race. Half the field is determined by Breeders’ Cup graded stakes points while others are chosen by a selection committee.

Dettori, a winner of 14 Breeders’ Cup races, is also named to ride Last Call, who earned a free berth into the Juvenile Filly Turf with her upset win in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine, a Win and You’re In race. Last Call, by English Channel. is owned by X-Men Racing 2 and SF Racing.

Moira will attempt to become the 7th Canadian-bred to win a Breeders’ Cup race since the series inception in 1984. There have been 124 Canadian-bred starters and a host of other Canadian-based or trained runners. Moira’s sire Ghostzapper won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2004.