Barn Tour: Attard updates on Moira, 9 others in his stable

This time last year, Moira was on her way to being the winner of Canada’s horse of the year and top 3-year-old filly awards. She had just won against the boys in the Queen’s Plate, bringing her record to 3-for-3 for the year.

But then she closed the year with losses in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. And she had three runner-up efforts to start her 2023 campaign.

Trainer Kevin Attard wasn’t fazed. On Sunday, the day after the Ghostzapper filly won the Canadian Stakes (G2) by 6 1/4 lengths, he told Horse Racing Nation that she had been the victim of “hard racing luck” in her starts this year.

“Her first race of 2023, they kind of rode her instead of riding the race and she kind of got trapped in a spot where she didn't want to be. And by the time she got out, it was just a little too late,” he said.

That was the Belle Mahone (G3). Next out, in the Nassau (G2), Moira “broke poorly with a huge downpour,” Attard said. “Things just didn't go her way either. Obviously Fev Rover was a nice filly, she won that day, won pretty easily, come back to win the Beverly D later. So no disgrace in that, but really, we did have, I thought, not ideal trips.

“And then last out, it was the first time this year she had a good trip. Unfortunately, the winner kind of set the pace, nobody challenged her, and we were coming to her just didn't have enough room to get there.”

That was the Dance Smartly (G2), which Moira lost by a length.

Then it all came together at Woodbine on Saturday.

“Definitely. She stretched back out to a mile and an eighth, and we actually put her in a good position. And it was just nice to see her accelerate like she did.”

Next up? Another try at the E.P. Taylor. “It's in our backyard, it's a Grade 1,” Attard said. “Think that would make the most sense. It's run at a mile and a quarter. She competed in it last year as a 3-year-old, ran a good race, had her number taken down when she finished second after a tough trip.”

Attard, second in the Woodbine training standings behind perennial leader Mark Casse, provided updates on other horses in his stable for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.

Velocitor. Attard’s wish came true when the 3-year-old gelded son of Mor Spirit won Tuesday’s Prince of Wales after starting 0-for-4 this year. “Had a good 2-year-old campaign,” Attard said Sunday. “He's a gelding now actually, but he was a colt last year, had a good 2-year-old campaign, I think won three out of four. Started the season off just not firing on all cylinders, and then we gelded him. He kind of acted up in, I think it was the Marine, that Grade 3, and kind of just ran flat that day. Came out of that race, bled a little bit, we put him on Lasix and his last two races, the Plate Trial and the King's Plate, have been pretty solid performances. He's heading back in the right direction. He's had a chance to breeze over the dirt surface. He looked pretty good doing it, and we're hoping he takes another step in the right direction to be able to spoil the chance of a Triple Crown winner here in Canada.”

Airosa. After breaking her maiden on second try at Woodbine in July, this 2-year-old Uncle Mo filly won the listed Catch A Glimpse Stakes in her last start. “Very nice filly,” Attard said. “She's 2-for-2 on the turf. Looking to run her (Saturday) in the Natalma, a win-and-you're-in Grade 1. I've been high on her from the time she started breathing. She seemed like she's a filly with a lot of talent. Obviously they paid a significant amount of money for her as well at the sale. But she's trained really well, and I think she's a very, very nice filly with a bright future ahead of her.” Airosa sold for $400,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale to X-Men Racing 3 and StarLadies Racing, who now share ownership with Madaket Stables and SF Racing.

Pipit. A 2-year-old Quality Road filly, she was second in her debut and then won the listed Victoria Stakes against boys last out in July. “We're actually pointing her toward the Natalma as well. She's another one that's trained really well, showed a lot of talent before she ever ran. We put blinkers on after that first race. She kind of, I thought, was a little green and she sure put it together in her second start, winning a stake against the boys.”

Zippy Gizmo. This 2-year-old son of Amis Gizmo broke his maiden on third try at Woodbine on Aug. 27. “He's looking to run in an Ontario sire stake coming up, going seven furlongs on turf. He's a horse that showed some ability, kind of taken a few races to put it together. We breezed him on the turf before he ever ran on it and I thought he did really well. And last time out, put him on the turf and he just kind of put everything together and ran a good race. So looking forward to stretching him out a little further. I think the further he goes, the better he'll be. And he definitely seems like a horse that moves up on turf.”

Tripolina. The 2-year-old Constitution filly won her Aug. 13 debut by 4 3/4 lengths. “She broke her maiden pretty handily. The horse that ran second come back to break its maiden (Saturday). So that's a good frame of reference. She could be actually also headed to the Natalma. Definitely a nice future, I think with a bright future ahead of her.”

Love to Shop. The 3-year-old Violence filly joined Attard’s barn after breaking her maiden for Todd Pletcher on her third try. She was third in the Ontario Colleen (G3) and then won the Toronto Cup against males last out. “The first time we ran her, she had just shipped in and we didn't really have much time with her. But she ran a good race to finish third in a Grade 3. And then we had the opportunity to work her a bunch of times heading into the Toronto Cup. She had trained really well going into it and ran a big race defeating males. So she's definitely a nice filly, happy to have her in the barn.” As for what’s next, “Tough to say. Obviously, there's some turf races for 3-year-olds still south of the border from here. A couple of them are invitational races, something maybe to kind of keep an eye on.”

Kerouac. 0-for-4 last year for Bob Baffert and Sean McCarthy, this 4-year-old Uncle Mo gelding took off for more than a year and returned in May with a maiden win for Attard. He then won an optional-claiming allowance and finished second last out in another optional claimer. “He's really taken to the synthetic, won two races, just got beaten in his last start. A horse that seems to be showing some ability and promise. We're possibly going to think of trying him maybe on the turf next time, he's by Uncle Mo. So we're contemplating maybe running him on the turf and seeing how he handles that challenge and then deciding from there where to go. But there's still some good racing here for him at Woodbine. Hopefully, with a little bit more time and him kind of going in the right direction, I think he could have a very strong back end of the year.”

Last Call. The 3-year-old English Channel filly got her only career win in last year’s Natalma, and she’s 0-for-5 since, all in stakes. She most recently was third in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs. “Bit of an unfortunate trip coming down the stretch. I think she could have been third easily. But a nice filly that obviously won a Grade 1 one last year, the Breeders' Cup win-and-you're in Natalma. And I thought ran a good race in the Breeders Cup (Fillies Turf, sixth) last year. She's been a victim of pace a little bit this year, and things just haven't gone as good as they could for her. So she's another horse that's been lacking a little bit of racing luck. Her last race was the first time she's ever stretched out beyond a mile, and I thought she handled that really well. So I think she's going to mature. She's obviously by English Channel, typically they get older, they get better, and I definitely think she fits the bill for that type of horse. It'd be kind of interesting to see her down the road going in those marathon-type places.”

Tiburon. The 3-year-old Good Magic colt also was entered in the Prince of Wales after going unraced as a 2-year-old going 1-for-3 this year. “He really trained really well on the dirt,” Attard said before the race. “Obviously, the Prince of Wales is off the turf, going a mile and three sixteenths. This horse has really been training differently over the dirt surface. So he's a long shot on Tuesday, but I think he's coming up with a big race.”