O Canada: Moira victorious in Breeders’ Cup
TORONTO, November 4, 2024 – 2022 Queen's Plate winner Moira delivered Canada one of its biggest racing moments this past Saturday by winning the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in California.
The five-year-old mare powered to the lead at the top of the stretch in the mile and three-eighths contest and held off rivals to grab the memorable victory for top Woodbine trainer Kevin Attard and owners Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC and X-Men Racing.
Moira, the 2022 Canadian Horse of the Year, becomes the seventh Canadian bred horse to win a Breeders’ Cup race and first since Perfect Shirl in 2011. Her victory is also the third by a Queen’s/King’s Plate winner, joining Dance Smartly (1991, Distaff) and Awesome Again (1998, Classic) as the only horses to have won at both events.
Attard, 47, is enjoying his first Breeders’ Cup triumph after five previous tries at the World Championships, including two with Moira.
The Woodbine grandstand was at its loudest on Saturday when Moira roared to victory in the Breeders’ Cup. The celebratory vibes extended to the backstretch and throughout the entire Woodbine racing community.
"This is a huge accomplishment in Canadian horse racing history,” said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine. “We’ve been fortunate to watch Moira’s development and success right in front of us at Woodbine. To Moira and her connections, including our very own Kevin Attard, Woodbine could not be more proud of your monumental victory.”
Flavien Prat rode Moira to the victory, which came in the racing following Prat’s win aboard Sierra Leone in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Moira has now recorded seven wins and nearly $3 million (USD) in earnings over the course of her illustrious racing career.
The five-year-old mare’s racing days appear to be done, as she is set to be sold at auction on Monday afternoon at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, Kentucky.
FOR MEDIA: Any media interested in speaking with trainer Kevin Attard are asked to contact woodbinecommunications@woodbine.com to arrange an interview for Tuesday.
-30-
Mark McKelvie