TORONTO, June 29, 2023 – Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2023 Moira is seeking her first graded stakes win in the G2 Nassau on Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack as part of a thrilling Canada Day Racing Festival card.
Trained by Kevin Attard for owners X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC, the daughter of Ghostzapper, who also earned champion 3-year-old filly at the Sovereign Awards ceremony earlier this year, finished second in the Belle Mahone (G3), a neck behind Super Hoity Toity in the 1 1/16-mile main track race.
This will be Moira’s third try on the grass. She finished second but was demoted to eighth in last year’s E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Keeneland on November 5.
“She’s run two strong races on the turf,” said Attard, who won the 2017 edition of the Nassau with multiple Sovereign winner Starship Jubilee, Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2019. “Unfortunately, the E.P. Taylor resulted in a disqualification, but that doesn’t take away from the grit she showed and that ability to dig deep when the real running starts.
“She had a tough trip in the Breeders’ Cup, but she showed that competitive fight again. If things had worked out differently, who knows what the result could have been? She’s had some bad racing luck her past three starts, so hopefully she’s due for some better luck this time around.”
Bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, Moira won the 2021 Princess Elizabeth Stakes in her debut and followed it up with a second in the Mazarine (G3) to complete her 2-year-old campaign.
In 2022, she captured the Fury Stakes and Woodbine Oaks before a seven-length stunner in the $1 million Plate, in which she set Woodbine’s 1 ¼-mile synthetic-track record.
Moira comes into the Nassau with a 4-2-0 mark from eight starts and $995,491 (U.S.) in career earnings.
“It would be great to see her get the win on Canada Day at her home track on one of the best turf courses in the world,” said Attard. “There’s always a big sense of pride at our barn when you can take on top-level competition and win one for the home team.”
There are two additional Ontario Bred entrants in the G2 Nassau.
Millie Girl makes her second start against stakes company after a third place finish last time out in the G3 Royal North. Trained by Catherine Day-Phillips she has never missed the board in six career starts, compiling a record of 3-1-2.
The five-year-old daughter of Hard Spun is owned by Kingfield Racing Stable Ltd., Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds.
Devil’s Bit will make her graded stakes debut in the G2 Nassau, and is coming off a win in her seasonal debut on June 10. She has a pair of wins from nine career starts and was third in the 2022 Wonder Where, part of the Canadian Triple Tiara.
The four-year-old daughter of Daredevil is owned by Dan Gale and Richard Hogan, and trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield.
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