Horses who raced and/or sold at Keeneland were honored last night with Sovereign Awards to recognize Canada’s champions in 2022.

X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables and SF Racing’s Moira, who was named Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, is a graduate of Keeneland’s world-famous September Yearling Sale. In 2020, X-Men Racing purchased the daughter of Ghostzapper for $150,000 from the consignment of Hidden Brook, agent. Moira was bred in Ontario by Adena Springs.

At Keeneland, Moira ran in the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in her only race outside Canada.

Other Keeneland sales graduates who received Sovereign Awards are Raroma Stable’s Philip My Dear (2-year-old male), True North Stable’s Hazelbrook (female sprinter) and M Racing Group’s Who’s the Star (older main track male).

Charles Fipke’s Lady Speightspeare, who ran third in last year’s Jenny Wiley (G1) and the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) here, claimed Sovereigns as champion female turf horse and champion older main track female. 

“She got two,” a beaming trainer Roger Attfield said Friday from Keeneland the morning after arriving from South Florida. “I’ll be here through the rest of the meet and then the first week at Churchill Downs.” 

Other Sovereign Award winners who raced at Keeneland were Cairo Consort (2-year-old female), Filo Di Arianna (BRZ) (male sprinter and male turf horse) and Who’s the Star.

Mark Casse, who has a string stabled at Keeneland, won his 12^th consecutive Sovereign Award and 15^th overall as champion trainer.