Canadian Star Moira Tests Turf, Elders in E.P. Taylor

Nine fillies and mares, including Queen's Plate Stakes winner Moira, will vie for the top prize Oct. 8 in the CA$750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) during a stellar stakes-filled card at Woodbine. Trained by Kevin Attard for X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing's Moira, the bay daughter of Ghostzapper will be moving off a synthetic surface for the first time in racing 1 1/4 miles on Woodbine's E.P. Taylor turf course. She worked once over it in preparation for Saturday's race. She'll also be chasing history as no filly has ever turned the Plate-Taylor double to date. Bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, Moira romped to victory in the 163rd running of the Plate Aug. 21, a seven-length tour de force that came three weeks after a 10 3/4-length, head-turning performance in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser. With the win, Moira became the eighth filly to notch the Oaks-Plate double, joining such greats as Dance Smartly, Flaming Page, Holy Helena, Inglorious, and Lexie Lou. Moira, who has won all three of her 2022 engagements, is now 4-1-0 from five career starts. "Obviously, it's a big step up and on a surface she's never run on before, but she's always responded to every challenge," said Attard. "We were very happy with her work on the course, and after we talked about our options, we made the decision to run here."  In a pair of 2-year-old starts, she won the Princess Elizabeth Stakes and was second in the Mazarine Stakes (G3), earning a Sovereign nomination for champion 2-year-old filly. Moira's been even more impressive in her sophomore campaign. "She's had a great year and hopefully that continues," said Attard. "We're very lucky to have such a talented horse." X-Men Racing is a syndicate of racing friends put together by high-profile bloodstock agent Donato Lanni. The group is comprised of Lanni, Robert LeBlanc, Steve Heimbecker, Clay Horner, David Anderson, John Fielding, Alexandra Verret, Daniel Plouffe, Gabriel Dimiele, and American Nick Pelligreen. Attard also runs 4-year-old Munnyfor Ro in the E.P. Taylor. Standing in Moira's way is a salty group of turf talents, including fellow 3-year-old filly Mylady (GER). Bred and owned by Gestut Karlshof, the daughter of The Grey Gatsby (IRE) heads into her first start outside of Germany off a third-place finish, just three-quarters of a length in the Aug. 7 German Oaks (G1) Aug. 7. Trained by Markus Klug, Mylady sports a record of 3-1-1 from seven starts. Well-traveled Fev Rover (IRE) will make her third straight start at the Toronto oval. Trained by Mark Casse, the 4-year-old daughter of Gutaifan (IRE) heads into Saturday's engagement off a gutsy nose win in the Canadian Stakes (G2T) Aug. 21. One race earlier, the bay, owned by Tracy Farmer, was second to Wakanaka (IRE) in the Dance Smartly Stakes (G2). Fev Rover is 3-4-1 from 13 starts. Other notables include Chad Brown trainees Lemista (IRE) and Rougir (FR), as well as graded stakes winner Adventuring, trained by Brad Cox, and Flirting Bridge (IRE), conditioned by Brendan Walsh. The E.P. Taylor is the final stakes event in Woodbine's lucrative Ladies of the Lawn Series, which provides bonuses to owners whose horses finish 1-2-3 based on points earned in the program.