Moira magnificent in dominant Canadian Stakes (G2T) score / Palazzi powers home in Pattison Singspiel Stakes (G3T)
TORONTO, September 9, 2023 – Moira, Canada’s reigning horse of the year, rocketed away from her rivals en route to an emphatic score in Saturday’s $200,000 Canadian Stakes (G2T) Presented by the Japan Racing Association on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine.
The Canadian, an about 1 1/8-mile race over the E.P. Taylor turf for 3-year-olds and up, went postward with six fillies and mares after the scratch of Talbeyah (IRE).
Miss Dracarys, fresh off an impressive score, her third straight victory, in the Dance Smartly (G2T), powered to the front under Dylan Davis, while 3-5 choice Fev Rover (IRE), last year’s Canadian winner who came into the race off a sensational triumph in the Beverly D. (G1T), shadowed the pacesetter to the outside, followed by Skims (GB), Ready Lady, Moira, and Atomic Blonde (GER), through an opening panel in :24.65.
It was status quo through a half in :48.25 as Miss Dracarys and Fev Rover (IR) continued their chess match on the front end, while Rafael Hernandez, aboard Moira, watched the lead pair from in fifth.
Miss Dracarys, still on top as the six-pack navigated the turn for home, was engaged to her outside by Fev Rover (IRE), but it was Moira, last year’s Queen’s Plate victress, in full flight, who swooped past the leaders with eye-catching ease and assumed control.
Ahead by four lengths at the stretch call, the 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper-Devine Aida continued to pour it on, going on to a 6 ¼-length win in a time of 1:46.04 over “good” ground. Skims (GB) was second, Atomic Blonde (GER) was third and Fev Rover (IRE) finished fourth. Ready Lady and Miss Dracarys rounded out the order.
It was the first win since the tough-as-nails bay won the Plate, an emotional victory for her connections, including Hernandez and trainer Kevin Attard.
“I just want to tell you guys, ‘Guess who is back? Moira,’” said Hernandez. “When she started warming up in the post parade, she started dancing and that’s it… they weren’t going to beat her today. She’s 100 per cent. She was just playing around in the backyard that she knows. When she turned for home, I let her switch her lead and said, ‘Come on baby, do what you know what to do.’ And she showed up today. Every time I ride her, it’s not just another horse. She has a special place in my heart.”
Attard, closing in on 720 career wins, was visibly moved when speaking of the Adena Springs-bred miss, now a graded stakes winner.
“She is a very special horse,” said Attard, who had watched Moira finish second, including in the Nassau (G2T) and Dance Smartly (G2T), in her three previous 2023 starts. “It was a little disappointing at the start, she just had some hard racing luck. Last time, she put it together and had a good trip, just kind of ran out of ground. She looks probably the best she’s ever looked. She’s trained well and it’s just so satisfying to see her put it all together. Now, we’re stretching out to distances where she is going to excel and show her true class.”
Moira, sporting a record of 5-4-0 from 11 starts for owners X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC, appears to be headed to the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) on October 8 at Woodbine.
“Most definitely,” said Attard, of the 1 ¼-mile E.P. Taylor. “I’m pretty sure. I have bosses, but ‘wink-wink.’”
She paid $7.90 for the win.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
TORONTO, September 9, 2023 – Unhurried early, Palazzi, under Sahin Civaci, was full of run down the lane to take Saturday’s $150,000 Pattison Singspiel Stakes (G3T), run over 1 ¼ miles on Woodbine’s E.P. Taylor Turf Course.
Collective Force broke sharply to take the lead, followed by Dun Drum and Town Cruise, while Civaci and Palazzi, who broke a step slowly, took up residence at the back of the pack, in seventh, through an opening quarter in :25.30.
Collective Force was three lengths in front of Town Cruise through a half in :49.36, as Civaci maintained his patient hand aboard the Mark Casse-trained Palazzi.
As the field worked its way into the turn for home, Collective Force was still on top but was soon pressured by Town Cruise and Malibu Mambo, while 6-5 choice Rockemperor (IRE), on the outside, and Palazzi, along the rail, each began to pick up momentum.
Malibu Mambo struck front in early stretch but was quickly engaged by both Rockemperor (IRE) and Palazzi, who then made it a two-horse race mid-way down the lane, with the latter emerging victorious by a half-length in a time of 2:02.26. Malibu Mambo was third and Dun Drum finished fourth.
It was the third straight score and first graded victory for the Gary Barber-owned Palazzi, who is now 5-3-2 from 23 career starts.
Bred by HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC & Pioneerof the Nile Syndicate, the well-travelled 5-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile-Kindle broke his maiden in his fifth start, at 15-1, in a one-mile turf race at Fair Grounds on December 19, 2020. His first stakes success came in the 2021 running of the Texas Turf Mile Stakes at Sam Houston.
Palazzi, third choice on the board at 4-1, returned $10.50 for the win. Ready for the Lady was scratched.
Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms
.jpg "Palazzi and jockey Sahin Civavi winning the Pattison Singspiel Stakes on September 9, 2023 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo)")
