It was a whirlwind few days for Canadian-based trainer Kevin Attard, as he experienced the thrill of victory and the bittersweet farewell to his prized charge, Moira. The Ghostzapper mare's triumph in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf was followed by her sale for a staggering $4.3 million, leaving Attard with a mix of emotions.

Bidding Farewell to a Beloved Champion

Attard's bond with Moira was undeniable, as he described the difficulty of letting go of the best horse he had ever trained. "For our stable, these types of horses don't come by often," he reflected. "Cultivating her success at the Breeders' Cup was a dream come true, and now having to watch her go has been one of the hardest things I've had to do in horse racing." The love and appreciation Attard and his team had for Moira was palpable, a testament to the deep connection that can form between a trainer and their equine athletes.

A Canadian Treasure with Global Acclaim

Moira's accomplishments were nothing short of remarkable. She secured Attard's first win in the prestigious Queen's Plate, now known as the King's Plate, and was named the Canadian Horse of the Year. Her Breeders' Cup triumph made her the seventh Canadian-bred horse to win a Breeders' Cup race, a feat that Attard believes deserves special recognition. "The significance and importance of a Canadian-bred horse like Moira winning a Breeders' Cup race is pretty special," he said. However, the irony is that she is not eligible for any Sovereign Awards in Canada due to the minimum three-race requirement in her home country, a rule that Attard believes should be reconsidered.

Eclipsing Expectations: Moira's Potential Eclipse Award

Despite the disappointment of Moira's ineligibility for the Sovereign Awards, Attard is hopeful that she will be recognized on a larger stage. "She has a very good opportunity to become the Eclipse Award winner," he said, reflecting on the remarkable journey that brought this Canadian-bred mare to the pinnacle of North American racing. "Who would have ever imagined that when Donato Lanni put this group together to buy a Canadian-bred to try to win a Queen's Plate, this would happen? Here we are winning a Breeders' Cup race and now, possibly, an Eclipse Award. It's surreal."

Moira's Quirks and Keen Instincts

Attard revealed that Moira was not without her quirks, describing her as a "real cool horse" and a "real special horse" with a keen sense of when it was race day. "On a regular day when you get her ready to go out and train in the mornings, you can put the saddle on easily," he said. "But on race day, after let's say 12 o'clock, anytime after 12, you try to put that bridle on, she just knows it's game time. It's a fight getting it on her, getting the tongue tie on, too. She just knows on race day she's doing something different." Attard even tried to trick Moira, but her intelligence and intuition proved too strong for their attempts.

Celebrating Breeders' Cup Highlights and Insights

In addition to Moira's remarkable story, the TDN Writers' Room podcast delved into other Breeders' Cup highlights and insights. The team reviewed several races, including the thrilling Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, where they applauded the effort of winner Sierra Leone but believed runner-up Fierceness was the best horse that day. They also congratulated Thorpedo Anna for her victory in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, which likely secured her the Horse of the Year title.The podcast also touched on the use of GPS tracking for fractional times, with Randy Moss highlighting the inaccuracies that can sometimes arise from these systems. Overall, the TDN Writers' Room provided a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the Breeders' Cup, offering a deeper understanding of the sport's biggest event.