Moira

Moira was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 2022 Queen’s Plate off a dominant 10 ¾-length victory in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser on July 24 at Woodbine.

The Ghostzapper filly won her debut in October 2021 when she romped in a stakes race at Woodbine by 4 1/4 lengths and then she concluded the year with a good runner-up finish in the Mazarine Stakes. She began her 3-year-old season with a head victory in the Stella Artois Fury Stakes, her first start in six months, prior to completely outclassing the opposition in the Woodbine Oaks.

In the Aug. 21 Queen’s Plate, Moira actually went off as the 9-5 second betting choice at post time behind Rondure. The filly sat patiently in mid-pack through the backstretch in the 1 ¼-mile classic and then unleashed a breathtaking move in the far turn to sweep past the field and win by seven lengths under Rafael Hernandez. She improved to four wins in five starts and became the 38^th filly to win the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown. Moira also set a new track record for 1 ¼ miles of 2:01.48 on the synthetic Tapeta surface.

Moira was named Canada's champion 3-year-old filly of 2022 and won the Sovereign Award as Canada's Horse of the Year in 2022.

Moira suffered a string of three runner-up finishes to begin her 4-year-old campaign in 2023, all at Woodbine, first in the Grade 3 Belle Mahone Stakes on June 3, then in the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes on July 1 and then in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes on Aug. 20. Moira finally got back into the winner's circle for the first time as a 4-year-old when victorious in the Grade 2 $200,000 Canadian Stakes on Sept. 9 at Woodbine. Sent off as the 2.95-1 second choice in a six-horse field in the Canadian, Moira rallied from near the back of the pack and rolled past the field for a big 6 1/4-length victory in 1:46.04 for the 1 1/8 miles on a turf course labeled good.  

Moira followed with a third-place finish in the $750,000 E. P. Taylor Stakes on Oct. 8 at Woodbine on turf rated as good, and then concluded her 2024 campaign in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf where she finished third.

Moira returned for her 5-year-old campaign in 2024 and kicked it off with a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes on July 13 at Saratoga in a promising beginning to her season.

As good as she looked at Saratoga, Moira looked even better in her second start off the layoff when she won the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes going 1 3/16 miles on the turf as the 3-5 favorite on the tote board in a field of five fillies and mares on Aug. 11 at Colonial Downs. The Beverly D. was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "win and you're in" qualifying race for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mares, and with her victory, Moira earned a spot in the Breeders' Cup starting gate on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Moira advanced to her third career attempt in Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf attempt on Nov. 2 at Del Mar, and the third time proved to be the charm. Moira was the winner of the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in a victory that gave her the first Grade 1 win of her career. Sent off as the 5.80-1 fourth choice on the tote board in a 12-horse field, Moira rated in mid-pack for much of the race and began to make her move turning for home. She powered past the leaders in the stretch and held off the other late runners for a win by a half a length over Cinderella's Dream and Didia in a final time of 2:14.95 for 1 3/8 miles on a firm turf course.

Already a Sovereign Award champion in her native Canada, Moira was honored by the U.S. racing community with an Eclipse Award as champion turf mare of 2024.

Moira is owned by X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables and SF Racing and trained by Kevin Attard.