Trainer Kevin Attard chases fourth Plate win in five years

Kevin Attard definitely knows where the winner’s circle is at the $1-million King’s Plate.

The veteran trainer has won the opening leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown three times in the last four years at Woodbine Racetrack, including the last two with filly Caitlinhergrtness and colt Mansetti. Champion filly Moira delivered Attard his first King’s Plate title in 2022 en route to being named Canada’s horse of the year.

Attard, Canada’s top trainer in 2024, will chase a fourth Plate title Saturday with two long shots in the 12-horse field. Baaeed Alynna (30-1 early selection) will break from the No. 3 post while Very Special (30-1) looks to earn his first career victory from the No. 10 post.

“I’m flying in under the radar,” Attard said. “We’re going in there with two kind of long shots, so no pressure at all, in a sense.”

Woodbine Oaks champion Luster, an even-money favourite, will start from the No. 1 post for Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll. The filly heads a field that includes Brachetto, the 5-1 second choice, who will line up in the No. 9 spot just outside Plate Trial winner Highwaytothemoon, the 6-1 third pick.

Dixie Law, second to Luster in the Oaks, will be the other filly in the field. She’ll be ridden by Pietro Moran, who won last year’s Plate aboard Masetti.

Luster and Dixie Law will carry 121 pounds, five less than the other starters.

Dale Desruisseaux conditions both Highwaytothemoon and Dixie Law.

Baaeed Alynna was sixth in the Plate Trial on July 19, his last start. The chestnut colt has a win and third-place finish from three lifetime starts and will be ridden by Sahin Civaci.

“I love the way he goes out and goes about his business,” said Attard. “Whatever you ask of him, he’s happy to oblige.

“He’s a horse that has a lot of talent. He is lightly raced, but that said, he is showing us every sign that he can handle the (1 1/4-mile) Plate distance.”

Very Special has a second- and two third-place finishes to show from his three career starts. Very Special was to run in the Plate Trial but was ruled a veterinary scratch following an incident in the starter’s gate.

Very Special will wear blinkers Saturday and be ridden by Romero Ramsay Maragh.

“He acted up,” Attard said. “He’s a young horse.

“Obviously, you would like to see a win beside his name, but if he decides to do it in the Plate, we have no problem with that.”

Luster was installed as the heavy favourite following a dominant run in the Oaks. She won the 1 1/8-mile race by 5 ½-lengths in 1:50.99. Earlier, Highwaytothemoon came on late to claim the $200,000 Plate Trial, also over 1 1/8 miles on Woodbine’s Tapeta track, in 1:52.17.

“I thought she would run really well in it,” Carroll said. “She’s a very, very athletic horse.

“She actually exceeded what I expected in that race. Looking at a horse like that, I thought she impressed in that race.”

Luster will attempt to earn Carroll a fourth Plate title on the 20th anniversary of her first, which came in 2006 with Edenwold. Ironically, Edenwold secured the win from the rail, as did Mansetti last year.

Carroll’s other Plate wins came with filly Inglorious (2011) and Mighty Heart, who overcame the loss of an eye as a foal to win the 2020 Plate.

John Velazquez will again be aboard Luster. Thoroughbred racing’s top purse-earning jockey rode the horse to her Oaks victory.

Carroll will have a second horse in the field.

Don Ique, a three-year-old grey/roan, will run for a third career win and second this year. Emma-Jayne Wilson, who won the 2007 Plate aboard Mike Fox, will ride Don Ique (30-1), who was fifth in the Plate Trial.

Brachetto comes into the Plate off a win in the Grade 3 Marines Stakes on June 27. The horse has finished in the money in all five career starts (two wins, second, twice third).

“Everything is on schedule,” said trainer Julia Carey. “He’s acting well, eating well, and travelling well.

“He loves to train. I can’t seem to do enough work with him. He’s not a real big, tall horse, but he’s a very well-built horse.”

A win Saturday would make Brachetto the first Manitoba-bred to win the Plate.