Breeders’ Cup Breakthrough: For Kevin Attard, Moira’s Win More Than a Milestone

[Wandering Eyes]

Kevin Attard never doubted that he had what it took to train a racehorse. What he wasn't sure of, at least back then, was whether that confidence would be enough.

The lifelong horseman was from a family of Canadian trainers and jockeys and he had practically grown up on the backside at Woodbine, but in 2005, his barn was down to five horses. He wrapped up the year with just four wins.

“It was the first time in my life that I wrote a resume,” Attard recalled. “I had a young family and had bought a home and it just wasn't paying the bills. You're coming into work knowing you're losing money, but you're trying to have somebody give you an opportunity. That's the hope—that someone recognizes the talent in you.”

 

At the eleventh hour, Attard's uncle, Canadian Hall of Fame jockey Larry Attard, heard that Steve Stavro of Knob Hill Stable was looking for a private trainer. Securing the position wasn't just the break Attard desperately needed. It was the first thread in a tapestry that would one day stretch all the way to the Breeders' Cup winner's circle.

One of the first horses Attard trained for Stavro, Leonnatus Anteas (Stormy Atlantic), developed into a champion 2-year-old in Canada. That colt had been picked out by the then up-and-coming bloodstock agent Donato Lanni. Years later, Lanni would be the one who organized the racing partnership behind Moira (Ghostzapper), the Canadian champion who gave Attard his first win at the Breeders' Cup in the 2024 GI Filly and Mare Turf.

For a trainer who once questioned his future in the sport, the breakthrough victory was more than just a career milestone. It was a reflection of the special bond he shared with a talented horse and the pride he felt in representing his country on the world stage.

Kevin Attard at Woodbine Racetrack | Katie Petrunyak

“When you look at some of the great Canadian trainers who have worked here and applied their trade at Woodbine, it's a small list of trainers that have been lucky to win [a Breeders' Cup race],” Attard explained. “So for me to be in that club in a sense, it means a lot to me. We're kind of like a little island here in Canada. There are a lot of great horse people here. It's just that the opportunity to win some of those races isn't as easy to come by being in Canada. I'm one of the fortunate ones I guess that can claim a Breeders' Cup win and hopefully it's the first of many more to come.”

Growing up, Attard worked as a hot walker, groom and exercise rider for his father, Tino Attard. He struck a deal with his parents that he would go to college, but after earning a degree in accounting he went straight back to the racetrack to be his father's assistant trainer.

“I always wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps,” said Attard. “I really enjoyed being with horses. I thought I had a connection with them. It wasn't an easy road, but I really believed in myself and thought I could be successful at what I did.”

After Knob Hill's racing program dissolved in 2012, Attard faced the challenge of building his stable back up again. By that point, he had gained a reputation for success and quickly brought in clients like Terra Racing Stable, Elizabeth and Gordon Lickrish, and Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman.

The stable established itself as a top operation in Canada, but in 2016 Attard's profile expanded internationally when he competed at the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita with Calgary Cat (Cowtown Cat) in the GI Turf Sprint and Melmich (Wilko) in the GII Marathon Stakes. Both finished fourth in their respective races, fueling Attard's resolve to make it back to the championship meet.

He got the opportunity in 2020 with Starship Jubilee (Indy Wind), a filly he had picked out from the claiming ranks at Gulfstream Park and developed into a multiple Grade I winner. The stable star was coming into the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in top form for her final career start, but lost all chance when she stumbled at the break and lost her rider.

Horse and jockey walked off unscathed, but even years later, Attard is still emotional when he reflects on what could have been.

Attard and 2024 King's Plate Stakes winner Catherinehergrtness | Katie Petrunyak

“I'll never forget watching her come out of the gate, fall to her knees and drop the rider,” he said. “It almost didn't feel real, to be quite honest. It was tough and it still kind of chokes me up. Just to see her end her career like that, I didn't think it was fair.”

Again, having a Breeders' Cup victory come within reach left Attard wanting more.

“You definitely have that taste that you want to come back and prove to the world that you belong,” he said. “It's the best of the best and I don't think people realize how hard it is to compete and get your horse to peak on that day.”

The year after Starship Jubilee retired from racing, another filly started showing promise in Attard's barn. Moira was purchased by Donato Lanni for a racing partnership put together with the goal of winning Canada's historic Queen's Plate.

From the start, Attard could tell that the daughter of Ghostzapper was something special.

“When she first came to me at the age of two, she had some tendencies where she was difficult to handle,” he explained. “She had a bit of a temper and wasn't shy about showing it. I had a lot of confidence in her and I told Donato that I had this wacky idea to start her off in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, a prestigious 2-year-old race for Canadian-breds. He was willing to go ahead with it and sure enough, she came up with an authoritative win. That was just the beginning of a great journey that I don't think anybody could have envisioned how it would turn out.”

After winning the 2022 Queen's Plate just as her connections had hoped, Moira continued to thrive. She made her Breeders' Cup debut that year in the Filly and Mare Turf, finishing a well-fought fifth. The next season she ran in the money in all six starts as a 4-year-old, capped by a fast-closing third back at the Breeders' Cup behind talented turf fillies Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Moira's Breeders' Cup placing could have marked the end of her racing career, but her connections decided to keep her in training for one more season with one goal in mind–a Breeders' Cup win.

“We had unfinished business,” Attard confirmed. “We put a plan together to get to the Breeders' Cup and we worked our way backwards. The whole season went really well for her, but as we got closer to the Breeders' Cup, there was just something different about her I thought.”

This time, the Breeders' Cup really would be Moira's last dance with Attard. Looking back now, Attard said he tried not to let himself feel that added pressure until his stable star was in the post parade.

“You're focused so much on trying to make sure she's in the best condition and peaking on that day that you're not even thinking about what's past this next race,” Attard explained. “You're throwing the bridle on her before we head over to the paddock and that's when it starts to hit you that this is probably it. A lot of emotions start running through your head, but there's a job to be done still. With her too, you never know how she's going to handle things in the paddock so you've got to be sharp and ready, but she did everything perfect from the time she left the barn. I don't know if she knew, but she gave it her all.”

When Moira made her move around the final turn and came flying down the stretch, time seemed to slow for Attard as he took it all in from his spot near the finish line at Del Mar.

Attard greets Moira and Flavien Prat after the win | Breeders' Cup Eclipse Sportwire

“For a Canadian kid coming in from Woodbine, it was pretty surreal to watch,” Attard recalled. “When I saw Moira make that kick, I had a lot of faith and confidence in her and sure enough, she got the jump and was able to stave off challengers. The wire couldn't come soon enough at that point, but when it did and she was in front, I embraced my wife and my daughter. It was something I'll never forget.”

Two days after reaching the pinnacle of the sport, Attard had to part ways with Moira when she went through the ring at Fasig Tipton and sold for $4.3 million. The champion was sent to Australia, where she is now in training with top trainer Chris Waller.

Attard still keeps close tabs on his former pupil and hopes to visit her on day. To him, she is more than just a horse he once trained–she's a part of his story. A photo of her Breeders' Cup triumph is still the image on his phone's lock screen, a daily reminder of what they achieved together.

“She became so important in my life,” he explained. “You get so emotionally attached to these animals and I don't think people realize how much you love them. She has done so much for my career and it's hard because she's in a very far place and it's not like you can get in your car and drive to go see her. One day I will get to Australia and hopefully see a baby by her side.”

It's not just Moira that Attard holds close to his heart. In the quiet routine of shedrow, his love for the horses is evident.

And that deep affection runs through his entire team. Attard believes it's been a driving force behind their stable's many achievements.

“We were predominantly a claiming stable for a long time and many of the assistant trainers and grooms that were with me at that time are still here today,” he said. “In a sense, it's a family and not a team because we've spent so much time and so many hours together over the years. It's a lot of hard work by a lot people and you just stay determined to be successful.

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