By Katie Petrunyak
Kevin Attard already knows it will be difficult, going back home to his barn at Woodbine and seeing an empty stall where stable star Moira (Ghostzapper) has been a steady presence for the past four years. The Canadian Horse of the Year and millionaire will perform in what will likely be her last dance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday before she goes through the ring on Nov. 4 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
“This is probably one of the hardest things I've done in my life,” Attard admitted as he looked ahead to next week. “You spend so much time with these horses that you bond with them. When I see her go through that sales ring and know chances are that she's not coming home, I mean I don't even know how to explain it. It's going to be hard.”
Attard has always said that one of Moira's best qualities is her ability to put her game face on, so for now Attard plans to do the same. While this weekend at Del Mar will be bittersweet, Attard said he is focusing on looking toward the race at hand and celebrating a horse that has shown up for just about every race of her career.
Scouted out by Donato Lanni and purchased for his X-Men Racing syndicate, Moira arrived at Attard's barn in the spring of her 2-year-old year. Right away, Attard saw promise in the daughter of Ghostzapper and was confident enough to send her to the Princess Elizabeth Stakes for her debut that fall. The Ontario-bred won by over four lengths and from there, never raced in anything other than stakes races for the duration of her career.
During her sophomore season, Moira reeled off back-to-back wins in the Woodbine Oaks, where she dominated by nearly 11 lengths, and then the Queen's Plate, where she defeated males and established a track record in the mile and quarter contest. On her way to earning Canadian Horse of the Year honors, she capped off the season with a fast-closing fifth in the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
Moira showed consistency throughout her campaign last year when she placed in all six of her graded stakes starts, including a win in the GII Canadian Stakes and a third-place finish back at the Breeders' Cup behind eventual Eclipse Champion Turf Female Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
“I'd have to think, quality-wise, that her best race was in last year's Breeders' Cup,” said Attard. “It just speaks volumes to the quality and caliber of horse that she is. She wasn't that far behind two of the best turf fillies in the world.”
Moira has again stamped herself as a leader in the division this year at five. Campaigned by Madaket Stables, SF Racing and X-Men Racing, she was second in the GI Diana Stakes behind Whitebeam (GB) (Caravaggio) and then battled Grade I victress Fed Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) to get the win in the GII Beverley D. Stakes.
“I thought her race in the Beverley D. was better than it looks on paper,” explained Attard. “It was a paceless race really and she had to fight a multiple grade one winner down the stretch to prevail.”
Moira gets the win in the 2024 GII Beverly D. Stakes | Coady Media
Then in the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes, Moira had to settle for a closing second behind stablemate Full Count Felicia (War Front) when the winner opened up by nearly 20 lengths early and never looked back.
“It was basically two races in the sense that the winner just opened up on the field and she was in a race of her own and Moira was in that second pack of horses,” Attard reflected. “She tried very determinedly catch the winner, but it just was too much ground to make up.”
Next up, Moira will return for her third appearance in the Breeders' Cup. After drawing post ten, Attard has high hopes that the third time can be the charm for his star filly.
Moira gives Attard his first Queen's Plate victory | Michael Burns
“She's been training really well.” he said. “Everything has kind of gone according to plan this season, so we're very excited to be here at Del Mar with her this year. It's very special to see her [in the Breeders' Cup] for a third time. It speaks volumes to the quality and caliber of horse she is. Her first year she was fifth. Last season she ran third. So hopefully history sort of repeats itself and we can do two better this year and find ourselves in the winner's circle.”
Moira's stablemate and rival Full Count Felicia, who is owned by Gold Square LLC, will join her in the starting gate for the Filly and Mare Turf and will also be selling next week at Fasig-Tipton.
On the Night of the Stars, Moira will sell as Hip 293 with Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.
“Moira's resume is remarkable,” said Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning. “She has already accomplished everything in the world that you could ask for a horse with the things that she's been able to achieve on the racetrack to date and hopefully there's one more chapter to be written.”
“The thing about Moira that is so intriguing to me is her pedigree,” he continued. “Ghostzapper is a tremendous influence in pedigrees in the United States and around the world. He's the broodmare sire of two remarkable horses in Justify and Up To The Mark. We've seen Ghostzapper's influence as a sire not only with a horse like Moira but with last year's Breeders' Cup heroine and co-[Fasig-Tipton November] sales topper Goodnight Olive. He continues to produce offspring at the very highest level and Moira is out of an Unbridled's Song mare, so it's really the best of the best.”
Moira's dam Devine Aida, a Grade II-placed multiple stakes winner, has had three winners from as many to race including stakes victor Jungle Cry (Animal Kingdom).
“Moira has just been a model of consistency,” said her consignor, John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. “She has now made just under $2 million. She's very feminine, mid-sized and looks like the kind of mare that would be an outstanding mother. She's quality all the way. Femininity with grit, determination and ability.”
Attard said that in the barn as well as on the racetrack, Moira has been a pleasure to work with.
“In the stall she's pretty straightforward,” he explained. “She just kind of minds her own business. But on race day when the bridle goes on, she turns into a different animal. It's almost like she switches gears and she knows it's game time.”
“She's a special horse and she definitely holds a very special place in my heart,” he continued. “She's been such a gem of consistency. 14 times in the money out of 16 starts and a multiple graded stakes winner. It takes a very special horse to show up each and every time and be as consistent as she has been. She has never let us down.”
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