American invader ROUGIR won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes by a neck over Canadian-bred star MOIRA on October 8 at Woodbine but the race was messy enough that the result was unofficial for some time after both the winner and runner-up had troubled trips.

On a cool and windy day, over a turf course that was very much on the ‘giving’ side, the nine-horse field for the Taylor, for 3-year-olds and up fillies and mares, began awkwardly as Lemista (Ire) bore out at the start and interfered with German shipper Mylady and the Mark Casse trainee Fev Rover. Once the field entered the long backstretch run, it was Adventuring, riding a two-race win streak, who went to the front as Lemista (IRE) and Mylady (GER) picked up the chase in second and third, respectively. Rougir (FR), with Kazushi Kimura in the irons, settled into seventh of nine through an opening quarter timed in :26.78, while Queen’s Plate and Woodbine Oaks winner Moira, the even-money choice, sat sixth.

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