Latest news with #KevinAttard
National Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Kevin Attard taking three shots at winning his third King's Plate
Kevin Attard failed to win the King's Plate in his first 10 attempts. He has sure made up for that recently. Article content The veteran trainer had his breakthrough with Moira in 2022 and captured last year's running with Caitlinhergrtness. Article content Article content On Saturday, he will take three shots at win No. 3 in the $1-million classic. Article content His best chance is with Mansetti. Named for a pizza place in Minnesota, the son of Collected already has three stakes wins to his credit, including both the Woodstock and Marine Stakes this season. Article content 'I thought his effort in the Marine was outstanding,' Attard said. 'He was given a great ride and pounced at the perfect time.' Article content Sandwiched between his good efforts are some poor ones, so Attard hopes Mansetti's 'good race. bad race' trends are a thing of the past. Article content Faber, on the other hand, comes into the race looking to snap an eight-race losing skid. After winning his debut last year, the son of Improbable was not close in three stakes tries and has spent this season in the optional claiming ranks. Article content 'There's no doubt at all that he's a trier,' Attard said of the horse named after Minnesota Wild defenceman Brock Faber. 'He's always been a game horse with ability. The hope is that he can take all his strengths and come up big in the Plate.' If you're wondering what's up with these Minnesota connections, the two horses are owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling, residents of Elk River, Minn., and longtime Attard clients who won the 2023 Prince of Wales Stakes with Velocitor. Article content 'They've supported Canadian racing and Woodbine for a long time,' Attard said. 'They breed a lot of their mares here. So anyone who invests that heavily in the game, you wish them a lot of success.' Article content Attard's other entrant is Dewolf, who won twice as a two-year-old, including the Bull Page Stakes. With four other stakes placings, Attard is confident in Dewolf's ability. Article content 'The Plate is all about a horse being able to put it together at the right moment,' he said. 'We believe he has the foundation to be a good one.' Article content Flavien Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award winner as North America's top jockey, will ride. Article content And if you're wondering how Caitlinhergrtness is doing, fans will get to see her perform on Saturday in the $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes, a 'win-and-you're-in' qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Toronto Star
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario informs Fort Erie that race under review.
Jockey's race their horses during the 165th running of the Kings's Plate horse race in Toronto on Friday, August 23, 2024. Kevin Attard looks to secure a second straight Prince of Wales Stakes title and continue chasing an unofficial Canadian Triple Crown on Tuesday. Attard will have four horses running in Tuesday's 1 3/16-mile race at Fort Erie Racetrack, unfortunately King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness won't be one of CANADIAN PRESS/Paige Taylor White flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boca Queen 'Impressed' Kevin Attard In First Start, Now Tries Stakes Company
Boca Queen 'Impressed' Kevin Attard In First Start, Now Tries Stakes Company originally appeared on Paulick Report. Repole Stable's Boca Queen, who turned heads after a stellar debut, steps up to the stakes ranks when she takes on eight rivals in Saturday's Grade 3 $150,000 Ontario Colleen at by Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd., the dark bay filly heads into the one-mile race over the E.P. Taylor turf for 3-year-old fillies off an authoritative 3 ¼-length win at seven furlongs over the E.P. Taylor on July off as the 2-1 choice in the field of 11, Boca Queen hopped slightly at the start, but regrouped and settled mid-pack along the backstretch before ranging up three-wide at the three-eighths mark. Shifted out into the seven path at the quarter pole, she sped away from her rivals en route to the impressive daughter of Kingman out of the Big Bad Bob mare Bocca Baciata covered the distance in 1:20.32 over firm ground. 'Very impressed by that first start,' said champion trainer Kevin Attard. 'She had a little hop at the break, but she recovered quickly – I thought that was a good sign. She found her stride and looked comfortable the rest of the way. We were hoping she would run to her works, and she showed up in a big way. Obviously, you don't know how things will go first time out, but she showed a lot of maturity and class that day.'The dark bay traveled four furlongs in :48.20 over the Woodbine main track on July 19 ahead of the Ontario Colleen.'She came out of it [first start] well and had a nice work on Saturday,' said Attard. 'So, the hope is she can build off that first start and come back with a big effort this time. She definitely inspires confidence. Excited to see what the future holds for her.' Purchased for €400,000 at the 2023 Goffs Orby Sale, Boca Queen is a half-sister to listed winner and €775,000 Goffs November alumni Parkes is the starters include graded stakes winner Somethinabouther, multiple stakes placed Pretty Lavish and stakes placed It Ain't wagering menu for the Ontario Colleen includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (races 8-9-10), and $1 Swinger. $150,000 Grade 3 Ontario Colleen Stakes Boca Queen (IRE) – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard Lupa (IRE) – Fraser Aebly – Josie Carroll Pretty Lavish (IRE) – Ryan Munger – Graham Motion Somethinabouther – Rafael Hernandez – Brendan Walsh Candy Quest – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse Social Code – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Steve Flint Hidden Quarry – Sofia Vives – Ethan West Tiz Her Money – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse It Ain't Two (GB) – Eric Cancel – Riley Mott Also on Saturday, six fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, will travel 1 1/16 miles on the main track in the $150,000 G3 Trillium Stakes Presented by Don Marty Drexler, who won the 2023 edition of the Trillium with Il Malocchio, will send out the duo of Literate and Veery. Literate, a 5-year-old daughter of Oscar Performance out of the Henrythenavigator mare Infanta Branca, will contest her third consecutive graded stakes bay mare, owned by C2 Racing Stable LLC, was sixth in the Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes (G1) on May 2 at Churchill Downs. She arrives at the Trillium off a fourth in the Belle Mahone (G3) at Woodbine on May 31.'She is doing very, very well,' said Drexler, of Literate, who was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation. 'She has had the opportunity to run on different surfaces, and we have tried a few different things, but at the end of the day, this is what she is best at – two turns on the synthetic.'I really liked her in the race at Churchill, but she missed the break, and it kind of got messed up from there. I think this is the best type of race for her. Hopefully, she gets the job done here. I think she is a very, very talented horse.' Literate launched her career with a quarter of races at Gulfstream. She was second in her debut on Dec. 4, 2022, and broke her maiden in her fifth start, a two-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track on June 22, 2024, doubling up one month later, also at the Toronto oval.'She is a cool horse to be around,' said Drexler. 'She is not full of personality, but she can be a little high-strung at times. She is a hard trier, and she has a big, beautiful stride on her. Distance never seems to be an issue with her.'She has enough quality, so we hope we can get her a stakes win that we feel she deserves.'Drexler worked Literate, 4-3-1 from 14 starts ($196,126), three times in the lead up to the Trillium, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.00 over the Woodbine main track on July 19. 'I really like the way she is coming into this,' said the multiple graded stakes-winning conditioner. 'I have always liked her. The key is to have her come over to the paddock and be chill, which she did last time. She can get wound up at times, but if you can get her settled enough, she usually runs a really good race. And she is great right now.'Literate was a $27,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland Association September Yearling Hayes is the groom. A veteran of 29 starts (11-1-4, $309,671), 7-year-old Veery will contest her first stakes race on chestnut daughter of Giant Gizmo out of the Bertrando mare Roust 'Em Bertie has been at the top of her game over her past five starts, fashioning three wins and a pair of thirds.'She has been very impressive and deserves to be here,' said Drexler. 'She is also doing great coming into this race.'Veery, bred in Ontario by Dr. Rolph Davis, heads into the Trillium off a smart four-length score at 1 1/16 miles over the Woodbine main track on June veteran mare turned a three-length advantage at the stretch call into a 4-length win in 1:43.14. 'We raced her for $15,000 last year,' noted Drexler. 'It wasn't until we started stretching her out that it really brought the best out in her. She is just an incredible front-end horse. Once she gets the lead, she will go a long way. That last race – she was never in doubt. She was always the boss, and she kept going.'It's not to say she can't win going shorter, but she seems to be at her best when she is the controlling speed, especially on the synthetic. She just runs so well on the front end.'Veery launched her career with a fifth over six furlongs on the Woodbine main track on Oct. 1, breakthrough came in her fourth race, a 1 ¼-length triumph at 5 ½ furlongs on the Toronto oval main track. Drexler claimed the horse for $10,000 on behalf of David Rowbotham, Rodney Carpenter, and Tony Boogmans, ahead of a Veery win on Dec. 8, 2022.'She is a real Cinderella horse,' said Drexler. 'It took some time to get her to where we wanted her to be – and there have been some ups and downs along the way, but she is just a fighter.'Anthony Bend is the groom. Multiple graded stakes winner Fashionably Fab, 2024 King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness, both trained by Kevin Attard, graded stakes placed For Flying, and 2024 Ontario Damsel Stakes winner Ecstasy round out the post for Saturday is 1:05 p.m. The wagering menu for the Trillium includes Rolling Double, Exacta, 0.20 Trifecta, 0.20 Superfecta, 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 5-6-7), 0.20 Jackpot Power Pick 6 (Races 5-6-7-8-9-10) and $1 can wager on all the action through and Fashionably Fab – Pietro Moran – Kevin Attard Veery – Eric Cancel – Marty Drexler For Flying (BRZ) – Ryan Munger – Graham Motion Literate – Sahin Civaci – Marty Drexler Caitlinhergrtness – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard Ecstasy – Fraser Aebly – Sid Attard This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
National Post
28-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Mansetti wins the Marine Stakes at Woodbine
Kevin Attard has another King's Plate win in his sights. Article content The two-time Plate-winning trainer has two solid contenders pointed to the August 16 classic, including Mansetti, who had a solid trip in winning the $175,000 Marine Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday. Article content Article content 'He's earned his way into the race now off this win,' Attard said. Article content Ridden by Pietro Moran, Mansetti sat a comfortable second in the early part of the race behind pacesetter War Signal. Moran pushed the three-year-old colt to the lead just before the top of the stretch and held off Scorching by a length at odds of 5-1. Article content Article content 'When we heard the outside horses around the turn, he really picked it up,' Moran, Woodbine's leading rider said. 'He showed me he's going to grind the rest of the way and down the lane it was just a matter of getting him home. He's all heart.' Article content Distance had been a question mark for Mansetti. Article content 'This spring, he's trained differently,' Attard said. 'He's really mentally matured a lot.' Article content 'He's always showed a lot of talent, it's just been a matter of one good race, one bad race.' Article content Mansetti may join well-regarded stablemate Dewolf in the plate. John Charalambous-trained Scorching may also be in the field after a good outing in his first start since October. Article content Article content The Marine was one of five stakes on the card. Patches O'Houlihan scored his second turf stakes win in the $234,000 Highlander Stakes. And just like last year in the Nearctic Stakes, the reigning Canadian horse of the year nearly drifted to the outside rail but still managed to hold off My Boy Prince by a neck. Article content Jockey Sofia Vives tried to keep him as straight as possible but the five-year-old continued to drift his way to his 13th win in 16 career starts. Unfortunately, Patches O'Houlihan suffered a soft-tissue leg injury and was pulled up after the race. He was able to walk onto the horse van and was reported to be resting well once he returned to his stall. Article content Vives returned to win the $180,000 Nassau Stakes aboard 12-1 long shot Ocean Club. They took control of the race with over a half-mile remaining and had more than enough in the stretch to hold off Ready For Shirl for a one-length score. Article content Tom Proctor trains the five-year-old mare who now has six wins in 20 career starts. 2024 King's Plate winner Caitlinhergrtness was well back. Article content In the $158,000 Dominion Day Stakes, Funtastic Again took the lead at the break and went gate-to-tire. Victor Espinoza, making a rare venture to Woodbine, rode the five-year-old Wesley Ward trainee to the win. The Kentucky-based horse now has five wins in 13 career starts. Article content The $150,000 Selene Stakes was also won in gate-to-wire fashion. Serendipity took command within the first few strides in the 1 1/16-mile race and never saw a rival the rest of the way. Rafael Hernandez rode the three-year-old daughter of Street Sense, who was making her first start for trainer Josie Carroll and first start on a synthetic surface. Article content
