Just when it seemed Fev Rover may not have enough left to finish the CA$750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) among the leaders, the 5-year-old mare dug down deep for a late surge that carried her to the win on the wet Woodbine turf Oct. 8.
It had already been a banner year for the Gutaifan daughter. She won her first grade 1 when taking the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Colonial Downs Aug. 12. But beyond that her level of consistency in graded company has been starkly improved. She’s now 3-0-1 from five such starts. In the previous three years, she posted a 1-4-2 mark in 12 starts.
That success is reflected in her earnings, as she came into the year with a hair less than $500,000 in earnings but after the win is a career millionaire having banked $787,320 in 2023.
But Sunday with a steady rain on her head, she and jockey Javier Castellano masterfully navigated the competition and the conditions. She crossed the wire in 2:02.20 over a course labeled good. The race featured fractional times of :25.66, :50.29, 1:14.30, and 1:38.64.
“My horse handled it very well, I like the way she did it today on this beautiful turf. … She put a good effort in here today,” said Castellano.
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Fev Rover, breaking from post one, wasted little time moving to the head of the field of 10. She held a slim lead for most of the opening half mile of the 1 1/4-mile contest. Fellow Irish-bred Rocky Sky who had been shadowing Fev Rover pulled ahead near the five-eighths pole.
He appeared to start fading, but just before the field came out of the final turn and into the stretch, Castellano regrouped. Moving off the inside and going three wide, Fev Rover found his reserve to take aim at the lead once again.
Fev Rover and Castellano were not out of the weeds yet. A charging Moira , the reigning Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, was coming on strong six wide but couldn’t sustain her push.
In the end, Fev Rover won by 2 1/4 lengths.
“The way it developed, I didn’t expect it to be that way. I expected it to be my horse in the lead galloping along. I felt a lot of pressure outside and at some point, I tried to…let the pace make it go in the lead and be smart and ride the best race.
With The Moonlight , Moira, and Skims finished two through four.
Fev Rover paid $10.10 on a $2 win ticket.
Bred by Manister House Stud, Fev Rover is owned by Tracy Farmer who bought her at the 2021 Tattersalls December Mares Sale for $971,704 out of the Musley Bank Stables consignment.
Fev Rover is out of the High Chaparral (IRE) mare Laurelita (IRE), who has three winners from her five starters among her seven foals.
The win was the third straight on the card for Castellano.
“I’m very lucky enough to participate with the best jockeys, the beautiful turf course, and the people here in Canada. I’m really appreciative of that,” he said.
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