Kevin Attard has enjoyed tremendous success, but he never stops dreaming

By Steve Buffery

For years, Woodbine trainer Kevin Attard worked diligently towards the goal of winning a King’s Plate.

And when he finally broke through by capturing his first Plate in 2022 with the magnificent Moira, Attard remained laser-focussed on making sure Moira’s victory wasn’t a one-off. It certainly wasn’t. Attard won the Plate two more times since, with Caitlinhergrtness in 2024 and last year with Mansetti.

And even though none of his three-year-olds this season are considered early favorites to win the Aug. 15 classic at Woodbine, Attard - who won an impressive eight races last week at the Etobicoke oval - steadfastly maintains that the goal hasn’t changed in 2026. He wants another Plate. And he wants it this year.

“I haven’t given up hope,” he said recently, sitting inside his office at the Woodbine backstretch. “I still think we got a couple of diamonds in the rough. We’re not getting the attention (as in the previous years), we’re not in the forefront in a sense, but I’m confident in them.”

Much of the talk about this year’s King’s Plate centres around such standouts as the Jose Carroll-trained filly Corsia Veloce, winner of last September’s Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes; the Dale Desruisseaux-conditioned fillies Piper’s Gift, the 2025 Princess Elizabeth Stakes champion and the winner of last month’s Fury Stakes, and Dixie Law, who triumphed in the Ruling Angel Stakes on May 16; Chiefswood Stables homebred Magical Factor, trained by Rachel Halden, who was second in the Marine Stakes; the filly Luv Your Neighbor, who won the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on June 13; and the Mark Casse-trained colts Military Time, who has been first or second in four of his five starts, including a second in the Queenston Stakes on June 7, and Casson, who finished first in the King Corrie Stakes this year.

“Obviously, time is of the essence at this point of the game (with my horses),” Attard said. “But they’re developing and coming along like I want, so don’t count me out.”

One of Attard’s ‘dark horses’, if you will, is the Stronach colt Very Special, who didn’t race as a two-year-old but posted a second and third in maiden special weight contests this year.

“Lightly raced,” said Attard, of the son of Ghostzapper-Crowning Jewel. “He’s shown he’ll run the distance. He’s improved in both of his starts, things that you want to see in a young horse. He lacks the seasoning the competition’s going to have as he never made it to the races until this season, but he’s doing well and I think he’s got a big future ahead of him.”

His other quiet contender is Baaeed Alynna, owned by Tagermeen Racing LLC.

“He just broke his maiden last week (June 28),” said Attard. “I think he’s a horse that has a lot of talent - just kind of a little behind the eight ball. We only made our first start of the season. Last year, he only made one start (finishing third in the Display Stakes), but he overcame a tough trip and got up to win (last week). I think he will relish the (Plate) distance.”

Attard isn’t counting out any of his other Plate-nominated three-year-olds this year.

“Now it’s just seeing if you can make another race or just wait for the big dance, depending on the horse,” he said. “You take things one day at a time. You try to make up ideas and maps and how to get him there.”

Attard insisted that winning the Plate the last two years felt just as good as the first time he triumphed in 2022 with Moira.

“It’s such a coveted race,” he said. “To get a three-year-old to peak on that day, going 10 furlongs, under scale weight in a sense, it’s not an easy challenge. You need luck, you need a good trip, you need the right kind of horse on the right kind of day. So, there’s a lot of factors involved. I’ve been fortunate to have the right horses and I’ve learned along the way what it takes to prep one.”

In the last decade or so, Attard has established himself as one of the top trainers not only in Canada, but in North America – recording no fewer than 44 graded stakes victories, including the 2020 Ricoh Woodbine Mile with Starship Jubilee. In 2024, he captured one of thoroughbred racing’s ultimate prizes, the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with Moira. And he has sights on even a bigger win.

“I haven’t run at a Kentucky Derby, but I would like to give that a stab one day and hopefully find the right horse. Who knows? This game’s about dreaming,” he said. “When I first started training, I wanted to win the King’s Plate. I never really thought of winning the Breeders’ Cup. And then I won the King’s Plate and sure enough, with the same horse, I ended up winning the Breeders’ Cup. Anything is possible. The sky’s the limit if you work hard to achieve those goals. And with a little luck and the grace of God, who knows what can happen.”