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Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander proved much the best over Sunset Louise in Sunday's off-the-turf edition of the $150,000 Noble Damsel, which was originally slated for one-mile on the inner turf but was contested at the same distance over the main track and downgraded from a Grade 3 to a listed event at Belmont at the Big A.

The daughter of Into Mischief provided  trainer Chad Brown and Klaravich Stables with their second collaborative stakes win on the card, adding to a dominant score with Randomized in the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame. Gerrymander now owns three stakes scores after taking the Big A's Tempted as a juvenile and the Grade 2 Mother Goose last year at Belmont Park.

Ridden to victory by Jose Ortiz, Gerrymander faced just one rival in the Bruce Levine-trained five-time-winning New York-bred Sunset Louise, who established early command on the outside under Kendrick Carmouche and marked an opening quarter-mile in :22.59 over the fast main track.

Gerrymander kept close along the inside but was soon asked by Ortiz to take charge and cleared Sunset Louise by a half-length through the half-mile in 44.93. Gerrymander widened her stride through the turn and into the stretch while clocking three-quarters in 1:10.16 and seven furlongs in 1:22.93 as Ortiz remained motionless except for a quick peek back at a distant Sunset Louise. Gerrymander completed the course wrapped up in a final time of 1:36.46 and 25 lengths ahead of Sunset Louise.

Salimah, Panama Red, Fluffy Socks, Malavath, Sparkle Blue, Balpool,and Movie Moxy were scratched.

Ortiz said Gerrymander completed the task with ease.

“My horse was much the better than the other one,” said Ortiz. “We both broke clean and stayed pretty much together the whole race until the three-eighths pole when my filly was much the best and drew away from the other one.”

Ortiz added that he preserved inside position until he was well clear of Sunset Louise.

“Passing the chute, I took up a little bit to see if Kendrick was going to clear me,” said Ortiz. “But he stayed where he was. I knew he wasn't going to let me go outside of him. If I go outside of him, he'll go out more. I just waited and tried to time it perfectly when we approached the turn. When I let her go, she was much the best. I didn't do anything special.”

Bred in Kentucky by Town and Country Horse Farms and Pollock Farms, Gerrymander, a $375,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, was produced by the Hard Spun mare Ruby Lips. She banked $82,500 in victory and improved her lifetime record to 14-4-4-2.

Gerrymander returned $2.60 for a $2 win ticket.

The post Gerrymander Airs By 25 Lengths In Two-Horse Noble Damsel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tracy Farmer's Fev Rover, an Irish-bred mare by Gutaifan, won Sunday's Grade 1, $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario, leading for the six furlongs, backing up into third position on the turn for home, then re-rallying under Javier Castellano to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

The victory was the first in the race for both Fev Rover's trainer, perennial Woodbine leader Mark Casse, and for New York-based Castellano, who had a productive day north of the border, winning three consecutive races, including the $200,000 Algonquin for the same owner-trainer combination of Farmer and Casse. He added a fourth consecutive win, also for Casse, in the race that followed the E.P. Taylor.

Fev Rover completed 1 1/4 miles on an E.P. Taylor turf course rated “good” in 2:04.20 and paid $10.10 to win.

Godolphin's With the Moonlight, sent to Canada from England by trainer Charles Appleby, finished second as the 5-2 second choice. Moira, the 3-2 favorite, finished third, with 23-1 longshot Skims fourth in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

Breaking from the inside post position, Fev Rover assumed the early lead, but was challenged to her outside by Rocky Sky, one of three entries in the E.P. Taylor for trainer Chad Brown, who's won two of the three previous runnings of the race.

Fev Rover went the opening quarter mile on rain-softened turf in :25.66 and the half in :50.29. Declan Carroll urged 50-1 shot Rocky Sky to take on Fev Rover early , likely trying to soften her up to benefit Consumer Spending, the most fancied of Brown's trio at 6-1. Rocky Sky was in front after six furlongs in 1:14.30, with Fev Rover falling back to third as longshot Skims briefly battled up front with Rocky Sky. Castellano then swung Fev Rover three wide at the top of the stretch and began to move toward the front.

Meanwhile, Moira was rallying five wide at the head of the long stretch and With the Moonlight was also reaching contention. But Fev Rover got the jump on them as Rocky Sky retreated and Consumer Spending failed to menace.

The win was the sixth in 19 starts for Fev Rover, imported to North America in 2022 and winner of the G2 Canadian over this turf  that year. Earlier this year, Fev Rover carried Farmer's black and white colors to victory in the G2 Nassau on yielding turf at Woodbine, then took the G1 Beverly D Stakes at Colonial Downs going wire to wire.

The E.P. Taylor is named for the legendary Canadian horseman and businessman  who bred, owned and stood at stud the influential stallion Northern Dancer.

The post Fev Rover Re-Rallies Under Castellano To Win E.P. Taylor At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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