Coach Kevin Attard has his Stanley Cup.
Moira came on strong down the stretch to take a record win in the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Racetrack on Sunday. This secured Attard his first career plate title at his sixth attempt.
The victory is the culmination of a childhood dream for Attard. And while he has been a runner-up as Canada’s champion trainer the past four years and has scored grade one wins in the EP Taylor Stakes, Woodbine Mile and Prince of Wales. Attard compared not winning the Plate to a hockey player who went his entire career without ever playing for a Stanley Cup champion.
“There were a lot of emotions before this race,” said Attard, his shirt sweaty. “It’s something I’ve obviously loved for a long time.
“My goal has always been to try to be the best and I think that puts me in a special training ground. I feel very privileged to be associated with this horse.”
WATCH Moira capture the 163rd queen board:
Moira beats the competition to capture the 163rd Queen’s Plate
Moira and jockey Rafael Hernandez win the 163rd Queen’s Plate at Woodbine Racecourse.
Moira served notice last month that she was a definite Plate contender, winning the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks by 10 3/4 lengths. And he did it all and ran without back shoes after a pre-race incident in the paddock.
“Obviously in horse racing you expect these horses to have another performance like this,” Attard said. “I think she’s an improving filly, I don’t think we’ve got to the bottom of her yet.
“She has her quirks, that wasn’t easy for me. It made me sweat. It’s a good thing I sweat more than her.”
As dominant as Moira was on the track, Attard said his horse had a form of pre-race jitters.
“I could tell she was getting a little nervous just because there were so many people,” Attard said. “She knew today was a different day.
“But the beauty of it is that with everything he does and goes through, he’s able to stay mentally focused and know he still has a job to do. I think that’s what has defined him as a good horse.”
“He gave me another team”
On Sunday, jockey Rafael Hernandez had Moira sitting eighth at half a mile and seventh after three-quarters of a mile. He moved her into third with a quarter of a mile to go behind Ironstone and The Minkster before Moira simply took off down the stretch, winning by seven lengths on a synthetic track and a Plate record time of 2:01.48.
“Raffie said to me afterwards, ‘We still have a long way to go,'” said Attard, who received a congratulatory phone call from Triple Crown-winning American conditioner Bob Baffert. “I remember Ironstone making an offer on The Minkster and I say, “Wow, we’re still a little ways off.”
“The next thing you know, it’s like I’m gobbling up dirt.”
Hernandez earned his second Plate win after winning the ’15 race aboard Shaman Ghost.
“She gave me another team,” he said. “When we went back home, it was amazing. It’s something else. It’s so special.”
Moira became the eighth filly to achieve the Oaks-Plate double.
MOIRA wins the 163rd Plat de la Reina in record fashion!!! pic.twitter.com/oPBzt5Afqf
—@WoodbineTB
Hall of Dreams finished second ahead of Sir for Sure. The rest of the 11-horse field, in order, included: Ironstone; Dancin in Da’nile; Roundness; Hunting Master; duke of love; The Minkster; Causein’ Mayhem; and Shamateur.
Moira paid $5.60, $3.40, and $2.90. Hall of Dreams returned $10.60 and $7.10 while Sir for Sure paid $7.10.
Moira has won all three starts in 2022 and reached the winner’s circle for the fourth time in five career races. The exception was a second-place finish in the $156,400 Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes on November 28, 2021 at Woodbine.
Jockey Rafael Hernandez, right, celebrates with trainer Kevin Attard in the winner’s circle after riding Moira to victory on Sunday. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
Attard comes from a racing family, with his father, Tino, uncle, Sid and son, Joshua, all in the business as trainers or owners. Last year all four Attards had horses in the Queen’s Plate and Sid Attard sent out Shamateur on the following Sunday.
Kevin Attard becomes the second family member to win the Queen’s Plate after Hall of Fame jockey Larry Attard guided Bompago to victory in 1983. But being surrounded by family on Sunday meant the world to Kevin Attard .
“Being in this business and the amount of time in the barn, my family sacrifices a lot,” he said. “For them to be there and share this moment means a lot.
“When we won the Woodbine Mile [in 2020 with Starship Jubile] it was just my dad and my son and it was great because my son is an integral part of my life and is very into horse racing. But my wife wasn’t there, my daughter or my mother, who is probably my biggest support.”
But Attard said he wouldn’t be where he is today without his father’s guidance.
“My dad put me in this position,” Kevin Attard said. “He taught me everything I know.
“I think he sacrificed part of his career to put me in a position to succeed when I was training and I was able to start taking over his side of the business. I can’t thank him enough, I love him so much.”
The second event in the Triple Crown will be the Prince of Wales Stakes on September 13 at Fort Erie Racetrack.
“Honestly, we haven’t talked [anything] past this race,” Attard said. “At this point, I’m not sure what’s next.
“Obviously, as a local trainer, I’d love to put my name next to a Triple Crown horse if I could. But again, there’s a lot of people involved, we’ll talk about that when the time comes, but if I could opt for a Triple Crown. or trying to win that would be something very special.”
The third and final race will be the Breeders’ Stakes scheduled for October 2nd at Woodbine. Wando was the last winner of the Canadian Triple Crown, accomplishing the feat in 2003.