For Moira, winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf was the perfect way to end a standout career, giving Canada’s 2022 horse of the year and champion 3-year-old filly her first Grade 1 win on racing’s biggest day.
For Kevin Attard, his first Breeders’ Cup win was the biggest milestone yet in a steadily improving career.
“Pretty cool, pretty special, that’s for sure,” he told Horse Racing Nation from Woodbine on Tuesday. “… A horse like her, and everything she’s done for me, it’s tough to replace. So every morning when they go by her stall, and knowing that she’s not there, it’s not easy.”
The win also put Attard over the top earnings-wise, giving him a career-high $5.7 million in earnings.
“She’s done so many things for my career,” he said. “It’s crazy how one horse can have such an impact.”
With a talented crop of 2-year-olds accounting for about half of his 75-horse stable, there’s plenty of reason for optimism going forward.
“Luckily enough, I think a lot of the babies have developed both physically and mentally into the fall and have shown a little bit of promise,” Attard said. “And hopefully next season, we’ll see a little bit more.”
Attard provided updates on the top horses and promising juveniles in his stable for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.
Caitlinhergrtness. The 3-year-old Omaha Beach filly followed Moira’s example when she beat the boys in the King’s Plate. Then she was third in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) and fourth on Saturday in the Maple Leaf (G3). “She’s down for the year now,” Attard said. He liked her effort in the QE II, but “unfortunately, I think on Saturday, the track didn’t play to her advantage either, might have compromised her a little bit. But she came out of the race in good order and is going to get some downtime now and regroup for next season.”
Full Count Felicia. The 5-year-old War Front mare was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf after two straight graded wins in the E.P. Taylor (G1) and the Canadian (G2). She sold last week for $1 million to Willingham Stud. “She’s another kind of void that we need to replace now, I guess.”
Fashionably Fab. The 4-year-old daughter of Silent Name won the Belle Mahone (G3) in June, capping off a five-race win streak. She’s 0-for-3 since, with a victory in the Ontario Matrn (G3).
“Pretty consistent type of horse. She’s had a great campaign this season. Ran last Saturday in the Maple Leaf at a mile a quarter, probably a little too far for what she wants to do. But we’re looking forward to giving her one more start at the end of the season here at Woodbine, in a stake called the La Prevoyante.” Fashionably Fab won the stakes for Ontario-sired horses last year.
2-year-olds
Brengungirl. This Point of Entry filly is 2-for-2 after winning the South Ocean Stakes for Ontario-breds. “Very nice filly. … We’re looking to run her next in the Princess Elizabeth going a mile and a sixteenth for 2-year-old Canadian-breds. I think she’s going to have a big future ahead of her. She’s been pretty professional in both starts, and looking forward to her next goal.”
Periwinkle. The Tapiture filly broke her maiden last out, bringing her record to 4: 1-1-2. “Her first couple races were a couple bang-up seconds (actually a second and a third). And then her third start, she kind of ran on a very biased track that day, and she ran against the bias. She regrouped last time with a good, authoritative win, and she’s going to run in the Shady Well for Ontario-breds, Ontario-sired horses on the 23rd of November.”
Hammerhead. The War Front colt broke his maiden on Oct. 27 in his third try. “I think that’s a horse that has a future ahead of him. I thought he was pretty impressive when he broke his maiden. We’re actually looking to maybe give him one more start and then give him a little bit of time and focus on his 3-year-old season. So a very nice colt.”
Groot. This Collected colt got his first win last out after trying stakes company in the Summer (G1) in September. “He’s a nice colt too. We’ve put him in a couple tough spots, I thought. And we regrouped last time, back into maiden company, and he broke his maiden with a good style. He’s looking to run in the Clarendon next out against Ontario-bred, Ontario-sired horses, going six furlongs. So that should be right up his alley.”