Fev Rover Uncatchable in Beverly D.
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Photo: Coady Photography
Fev Rover wins the Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs
Taking charge from the start, Fev Rover set a slow pace and turned back an early stretch bid from Gina Romantica to win the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) by 3 1/2 lengths Aug. 12 at Colonial Downs.
Gina Romantica was a clear-cut runner-up, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of third-place Romagna Mia . Mise En Scene and Jan's Girl completed the order of finish in the five-horse field. Didia and Rocky Sky were scratched.
Can we watch that again?!
Fev Rover captures the #WinAndYoureIn Beverly D. Stakes and punches her ticket to the #BreedersCup! Congrats to all of the connections! pic.twitter.com/5jqMApWOiZ— Breeders' Cup (@BreedersCup) August 12, 2023
The winner, a 5-year-old daughter of Gutaifan , raced 1 3/16 miles on firm turf under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano in 1:54.35 following splits of :25.12, :50.10, 1:13.63 and 1:37.01. She paid $3.20 to win as the favorite.
Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse trains Fev Rover for owner Tracy Farmer. She is 3-1-2 in six starts under Casse's care in 2022-23 after coming to North America from Europe.
She won the July 1 Nassau Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine in her 2023 debut before a third-place finish in the July 15 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course when a close third behind Whitebeam and In Italian , two of the elite older grass mares in the country. The Beverly D. marked her first grade 1 victory.
"She's like a couple of our good fillies—like (champion) Tepin —they like to run," Casse said.
The Beverly D., a longtime stakes fixture at Arlington International Racecourse before track operator Churchill Downs Inc. sold that property to the Chicago Bears of the National Football League in 2021, was run for the first time at Colonial Downs on Saturday. The Beverly D. and Arlington Million (G1T) were contested last year at Churchill Downs.
Gina Romantica, last year's Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1T) winner, lost for the second time in as many starts this year. She had been a close fourth in the Eatontown Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park June 17 for trainer Chad Brown, a six-time Beverly D. winner at Arlington.
Her jockey, Flavien Prat, sent her inside Fev Rover coming into the lane into a tight opening. His mount was out-quickened by the leader, who spurted clear with a final three-sixteenths in a sparkling :17.34.
Bred in Ireland by Manister House Stud, Fev Rover is the lone stakes winner produced out of the High Chaparral mare Laurelita . Four of the dam's seven foals have raced, three victoriously. One of her foals is not yet of racing age—a yearling colt by Dark Angel .
An accomplished runner in Europe at age 2 and 3, winning two stakes, one of them a group 2, and placing there in three group races, including twice at the top stakes level, Fev Rover was bought by Farmer in late 2021 for the equivalent of $971,704 from the Musley Bank Stables consignment to the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
With the Beverly D. part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In series, Fev Rover earned a paid berth into the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
"She's a really good horse," Casse said. "It's taken her a little while to understand our racing, but the toughest part today was getting her saddled. She's a toughie but she looks magnificent. She's really grown up in the last year. So we're excited and looking for the Breeders Cup."