Woodbine: Fev Rover is 1 of 7 in Canadian; 8 are in Singspiel

Irish-bred Fev Rover, fresh off a victory in the Beverly D. (G1), is back to defend her title in the Grade 2, US$146,639 Canadian Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

Owned by Tracy Farmer, Fev Rover heads into the roughly 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares off an authoritative score in the Beverly D. Taking command early with Javier Castellano aboard, the well-traveled mare set modest fractions and then fired home to notch a 3 1/2-length triumph in the 1 3/16-mile race.

With the win, the 5-year-old Gutaifan mare earned an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) this November at Santa Anita Park.

Dual hall-of-fame trainer Mark Casse is effusive in his praise of Fev Rover, who launched her 2023 campaign with a dominant effort in the one-mile Nassau (G2) on July 1 at Woodbine before heading to the U.S. for her next two races.

“Honestly, I’ve just been over the moon with all three of her performances this year,” Casse said. “I sat and watched the Nassau with my mouth open, seeing the ease with which she was able to win. And then we went to the Diana (G1) on July 15. We were coming back kind of quick, but she was training so well. She’s a beautiful, powerful filly. She is tough. I thought we got a little unlucky in the Diana. (Jockey Flavien Prat) did a great job of keeping Javier stuck down on the rail with nowhere to go. When he finally got out, she came running and just got beat by a half-length.”

Fev Rover, at 3-5, got back on the winning track in the Beverly D.

“Javier and I were flying to Colonial Downs, and we were talking about the race,” Casse said. “He said, ‘There’s no speed in this race.’ I agreed and told him that she can go right to the lead. The nice thing about her, and Tepin was the same way, is that a great horse can bring their A game no matter the situation. So we went right to the lead, and it was over when that happened.”

Fev Rover had a prosperous start at ages 2 and 3 in France, where she won two stakes, one a Group 2, and placed in three other group races, including twice at the top level. Then Farmer bought her in late 2021 for US$971,704 from the Musley Bank Stables consignment to the Tattersalls December mares sale.

The North America chapter of Fev Rover’s career began at Woodbine last July, when she finished second in the Dance Smartly (G2). One month later she gutted out a nose win in the Canadian and then was fourth and then promoted to third after a troubled trip in the E. P. Taylor (G1) in October.

She brings a 17: 5-4-3 mark and $948,776 in earnings from 17 starts into the Canadian.

“I wanted to get her back to Woodbine,” Casse said. “I wanted two more races into her before the Breeders’ Cup. I thought the E. P. Taylor (G1) would be a good one for her, and I would like to try and win that. I thought the race this Saturday would set up nicely for her. I like the timing of it, plus I wanted to get her back to Woodbine, because she loves to train over the Tapeta.”

Casse will also send out Talbeyah, another Ireland-bred owned by Farmer. The 5-year-old daughter of Lope de Vega is 13: 3-0-0.

“She’s a nice filly in her own right,” Casse said. “She’s not on the same level as Fev Rover, but she’s certainly a nice one.”

Canada’s reigning horse of the year Moira, 2023 Dance Smartly (G2) winner Miss Dracarys, graded-stakes victor Skims, multiple graded-stakes winner Atomic Blonde and graded-stakes placed Ready Lady also will go postward.

Malibu Mambo is set for Singspiel

Saturday’s 12-race card includes the running of the US$109,973 Singspiel (G3), a 1 1/4-mile turf race that drew eight hopefuls including Malibu Mambo.

A 6-year-old son of Point of Entry who won last out, Malibu Mambo heads into his first stakes race since running third in the 2021 Dominion Day (G3).

Sent off at 4-1 in a 1 1/4-mile allowance race over good turf Aug. 12, the dark bay under a sharp ride by David Moran led by a half-length at the stretch call and then powered on to a 1 1/2-length victory.

“He ran the whole way and was full of run at the end, which was nice,” said trainer Mike Doyle, who co-owns the gelding with Dura Racing. “It was the perfect race where he sat off them, and it worked out well. He didn’t win easily, but he drew off at the end a bit, so it was good from that point of view.”

Malibu Mambo made a winning debut on August 31, 2019, a 2 1/4-length triumph at seven panels on the Woodbine Tapeta.

Bred by Adena Springs, Malibu Mambo is 18: 4-5-4 from 18 starts and has purse earnings of $293,315.

“He’s doing well, and we’re taking a shot,” Doyle said. “He’s run well all three times this year. The first start he got very tired, the second start he got a little tired. He’s a big, huge horse, so it took a while to get him ready. He’s also had a few issues, which we have taken care of.”

With David Moran sidelined by injury, Dylan Davis gets the call on Saturday.

Other starters include Chad Brown-trained, multiple graded-stakes winner Rockemperor and 2021 Woodbine Mile (G1) winner Town Cruise.

Dual hall-of-fame trainer Roger Attfield has won eight editions of the Singspiel, including five consecutive victories from 2009 to 2013. He sends out defending winner Ready for the Lady in this year’s running.