Woodbine: Full Count Felicia blasts off to win E. P. Taylor

Full Count Felicia, coming off a front-running victory over the same course in the 1 1/8-mile Canadian Stakes (G2), knocked another one out of the park to become a Grade 1 winner Saturday in the E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine.

Stretching out to 1 1/4 miles on the turf and facing four difficult rivals in the US$572,076 E. P. Taylor, Full Count Felicia took charge early and opened a jaw-dropping lead before holding on for a 3 1/2-length score. Moira, her Kevin Attard-trained stablemate and the 4-5 favorite, was easily best of the rest.

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Kazushi Kimura was aboard for the rather surprising victory on Full Count Felicia, owned by Gold Square, who returned $17.80 as the fourth choice. The final time was a brisk 1:59.29.

"I was trying to let her, you know, try to be how own pace and being comfortable, it worked out well," Kimura said.

Kimura wasted no time in taking Full Count Felicia to the front in the Taylor as they led by seven lengths through a quarter-mile in 25.12 seconds. They extended that advantage to 14 lengths through a half-mile in 48.12 seconds and reached the three-quarters in 1:11.81 while 19 lengths in front.

Attard admitted that he could not have foreseen the manner in which Full Count Felicia would dominate the Taylor.

“Never in a million years,” he said. “I thought Fev Rover and Full Count Felicia would kind of, you know, duke it out a little bit early. ... She set an honest pace I thought. And you know I looked around at the three-eighths, and she had an insurmountable lead, and I'm thinking is she going to stop? Like she'd have to come to a dead walk at this point. But you know, she's a nice filly. I don't think she got the respect she deserved. Thought her race in the Canadian last start was really impressive. And I think she's just improving, just getting better with each start."

Moira, seeking her first Grade 1 victory, raced fourth through the early going before moving up turning for home. Trailing by seven lengths as Full Count Felicia hit the mile in 1:35.19, Moira was six lengths back at the eighth pole and closed well without threatening the winner.

Six-year-old Fev Rover, the second choice at 3-1, pressed the pace early and stayed on for third money, 2 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up. The nemeses were meeting for the seventh time, and 5-year-old Moira holds a 4-3 edge.

Two France invaders brought up the rear with 3-year-old Blush trailing throughout before closing mildly for fourth and Ble Cen Rose, a 4-year-old with multiple Group 1 victories on her resume, a non-threatening fifth.

Full Count Felicia, by War Front out of Clair de Lune, recorded her seventh win in 19 starts and her fifth stakes victory. The E. P. Taylor was her third start for Attard, who had sent out the mare to finish fourth when she was making her local debut in the one-mile Nassau. That was her first start in almost five months.

Cinderella’s Dream, who had shipped in from Saratoga for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, was scratched.

Moira and Fev Rover had finished one-two just a head apart last month in the Beverly D. (G2) at Colonial Downs. That race was a Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf win-and-you’re-in race. All remaining well, Moira will proceed to that goal.

Attard, however, will consider his path for Full Count Felicia.

"I'm going to leave that to the guys that sign the check," he said. "They sent her here for me to do a job, and we're going to enjoy this Grade 1. Obviously, it's very important for her value as a broodmare. So enjoy the day right now."

Attard enjoyed his second success in the E. P. Taylor, having captured the 2019 running with Starship Jubilee.

Horse Racing Nation coverage of Woodbine Mile day is made possible in part through a sponsorship by Woodbine Entertainment Group.