Father-and-son duo David and Pietro Moran will race off in the King’s Plate, Canada’s top horse race.
Pietro will start on Mansetti from the rail, while David will be right beside him on William T.
Favourite No Time headlines a strong field
The $1-million King’s Plate scheduled for Saturday will feature the rare occasion to see a father and his son going head-to-head in Canada’s most prestigious horse race.
The Moran Family, Side by Side
Jockeys David and Pietro Moran will line up side by side at Woodbine Racetrack for the first jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown.
While 20-year-old Pietro will break from the rail on Mansetti, his father will be straight to his right in post two aboard William T, a situation that Pietro called “very special” during Tuesday’s race draw.
It’s not something you see too often, and so I’m very excited to be against my dad. We’re going to try to beat each other, but we’ll wish each other the best.
For Pietro, who will enter the race in a strong form as Woodbine’s leading jockey with no less than 61 wins this season, it will be the second Plate race. Last year, he finished fourth with Pierre.
His father, on the other hand, came agonizingly close to winning in 2021, but lost by a head to Safe Conduct on Riptide Rock.
“What Are the Chances?”
David, speaking by phone, admitted the occasion feels extraordinary.
What are the chances? Most people don’t get to ride in races with their son, and to compete in the biggest race is very special and pretty amazing.
While they’ll start next to each other, the 42-year-old who became a full-time jockey in the spring of 2009 doesn’t expect much pre-race conversation, as both jockeys “will be in the zone” and “out there to win the race”.
While we want to win ourselves, we’re both rooting for each other. I’ll be hoping he can do it if I can’t.
The Moran family will compete against early favourite No Time, Woodbine Oaks’ champion, at 7-2, followed by Notorious Gangster at 9-2, and Tom’s Magic at 5-1. Meanwhile, Mansetti sits at 10-1, William T at 20-1. All these odds and more can be found with live betting at selected sportsbooks.
Trainer Kevin Attard, who sends out Mansetti, praised Pietro’s growth with special emphasis on his extra poise and the fact that people continue to seek him out despite only being an apprentice.
Mansetti comes in off a Grade 3 Marine Stakes win, while William T has finished in the money in all three starts this year. On Saturday, the Morans will be rivals on paper, but family in every stride to the wire.
Nemanja PetkovićAuthorNemanja is new resident of Canada, with English is not his native language he is still learning about the betting industry. His main interests lie with Boxing and MMA especially UFC.
By Nemanja Petković
