Moira sets track record as she beats the boys in Queen's Plate

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Moira was simply marvelous in Sunday’s $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine, beating the boys by seven lengths in synthetic-track-record time in the 163rd running of the historic event.

Moira rated kindly about six lengths off the lead along the backstretch in the 1 1/4-mile Tapeta route, as The Minkster set quick fractions while being tracked by Ironstone.

Rafael Hernandez angled Moira to the three-path nearing the three-eighths pole. She proceeded to make a sweeping move to hit the front at the head of the stretch and never looked back, scoring by seven lengths over a closing Hall of Dreams.

Plate Trial winner Sir for Sure finished another two lengths back in third. He was followed by Ironstone, Dancin in Da’nile, the 3-2 favorite Rondure, Hunt Master, Duke of Love, The Minkster, Causin’ Mayhem and Shamateur.

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Moira’s final time of 2:01.48 was .03 lower than the synthetic track record. It bettered the Queen’s Plate record of 2:01.80 set by Izvestia on the dirt in 1990.

Moira ($5.60) was the first Queen’s Plate winner for trainer Kevin Attard, who said the victory was the thrill of a lifetime.

“There were a lot of emotions leading up to this race,” Attard said. “It’s something that I’ve cherished for a long time growing up. I think this puts me in a special group of trainers. I just feel very privileged right now to be associated with this horse. I think she’s an improving filly. I don’t think we’ve reached the bottom of her yet. She has her quirks about her. She made me sweat. It’s a good thing I sweat more than she did.”

Bred by Adena Springs, Moira is the third Plate winner by Ghostzapper, following Holy Helena and Shaman Ghost, who was ridden by Hernandez in 2015. Donato Lanni heads the three-pronged ownership group of X-Men Racing, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing.

Moira’s connections were noncommittal about running her back in the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, in the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on the dirt at Fort Erie on Sept. 13.

“We have not discussed past this race,” Attard said. “Me being a local trainer, I would love to put my name beside a Triple Crown horse if I could. There’s a lot of people involved, not just myself, and we’ll discus it when the time comes.”