Fashionably Fab wins La Prevoyante thriller

TORONTO, December 14, 2024 – Fashionably Fab needed every inch of ground to secure her second straight $100,000 La Prevoyante Stakes, Saturday at Woodbine. 

Trained by Kevin Attard, the multiple graded stakes-winning Terra Racing Stable homebred was back in the winner’s circle after a fifth in her previous start, the Grade 3 Maple Leaf Stakes, on Nov. 9.

Sent off as the 1-5 choice in the six-horse La Prevoyante, Fashionably Fab had to work overtime to best a game 25-1 Fortyfiveseventy in the 1 1/16-mile feature for Ontario sired fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up.

It was a four-horse scramble for early bragging rights, with Fortyfiveseventy, along the rail, emerging on top, followed closely by the trio of Tito’s Calling, Talk to Ya Later, and Hurricane Clair, while David Moran, aboard Fashionably Fab, settled the 4-year-old dark bay in fifth.

Fortyfiveseventy, the longest shot on the board, held a half-length advantage over Tito’s Calling through an opening quarter in :24.92, followed by Talk to Ya Later, a wide Hurricane Clair, Fashionably Fab and stablemate War Painter.

The daughter of Perfect Timber continued to control the pace and was a head clear after a half in :50.07, as Moran kept Fashionably Fab within striking distance, in between runners in fifth.

Fortyfiveseventy, still hounded by Tito’s Calling, maintained her short lead heading into the turn for home, while Moran roused Fashionably Fab, who had been shuffled to last and found herself behind a wall of rivals.

Bursting through a seam in upper stretch, Fashionably Fab found daylight and attempted to reel in a game Fortyfiveseventy.

The pair matched strides starting about 220 yards from the wire and slugged it out from there with Fashionably Fab putting a nose in front at the line. War Painter was third, followed by Talk To Ya Later, Hurricane Clair, and Tito’s Calling.

The final time was 1:45.05.

“On paper, the outside horse [Hurricane Clair] was going to be the only fear that we had,” said Moran. “I was hoping that he would leave the gate faster than me and get in front of me – that didn’t happen. But when you’re on the best horse in the race, you ride it like the best horse in the race. Turning for home, when you have horse, them small holes become giant holes. I thought she was going to win easy, and she kind of waited on the other one.”

Moran took over the reins after his son, rising star rider Pietro Moran, was injured in a September spill at Fort Erie.

“Thanks so much to Kevin for everything he’s done for Pietro, my family, my other son, William works for him, and for these owners to give me the shot with her after Pietro got hurt,” said the journeyman. “It means a lot in the sport to have people behind you.”

Added Pietro, “It’s definitely a lot more nerve wracking watching than being on her.”

It was the 10th win, to go along with three thirds, from 17 lifetime starts for Fashionably Fab, whose stakes success also includes victories in this year’s Grade 3 Belle Mahone and Grade 3 Ontario Matron. She won five straight races, all stakes, from September 12, 2023, to June 1, 2024.

A daughter of Silent Name (JPN) out of the Curlin mare Flashy’s Legacy, Fashionably Fab debuted with a third in September 2022 and then won her next three starts, including the Shady Well Stakes that December. 

She paid $2.70 for today’s win.  

Live racing resumes tomorrow with first post at 1:10 p.m. Sunday’s feature is the $100,000 Steady Growth Stakes.  

Chris Lomon, Woodbine