Apprentice jockey Pietro Moran wins $1 million King’s Plate aboard Mansetti

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Last September, in one of the lowest-class races you can find in the area, Pietro Moran suffered a significant injury. Almost a year later, he captured Canada’s biggest race.

The 20-year-old, still an apprentice jockey, won the $1 million King’s Plate on Saturday aboard Mansetti in emphatic, front-running fashion. And for a kid who grew up at Woodbine, the emotions simply flowed after.

“There’s no words to describe it,” he said. “What a dream.”

“I watched my first Plate 15 years ago. My dad (David) finished third. And every year since, I’ve been watching and dreaming for this moment. I never thought it would come this soon.”

While currently the leader in the jockey standings at Woodbine, Moran didn’t get a lot of support from the bettors as Mansetti went off a 19-1. But as soon as the gate opened, Mansetti used his rail post position to full effect, coming out of the gate and taking a slight lead over Scorching in the 13-runner field.

While the first quarter went in a quick 23 seconds, Moran was able to relax Mansetti on the lead in the backstretch. Around the turn, Mansetti began to open up on Scorching and in mid-stretch, had a four-length lead. He ended up winning by 2 1/2 lengths as U.S. invader Tom’s Magic closed from well back early to finish second and 7-2 race favourite Notorious Gangster found his best late to grab third.

“It worked out perfect,” Moran said. “He broke good. I just loved the way he relaxed today.”

“I was talking to him the whole way, saying ‘good boy, you’re doing good,’ and he responded to me.”

A son of Collected, Mansetti is named for a chain of pizza restaurants in Minnesota, home of owners Al and Bill Ulwelling.

He won two of his three starts as a two-year-old, including the Clarendon Stakes. He started this season with a really poor effort in New York but his return home resulted in a win in the Woodstock Stakes. Another mediocre effort followed in the Queenston Stakes but he gave a much better account of himself in the Marine Stakes, setting him up for the Plate try.

“This horse trained really well. He was flying a bit under the radar,” trainer Kevin Attard said. “This horse really changed from two to three.”

“He showed a lot of talent from a young age and I thought he was going to be a really good horse. He was keen and eager early and we didn’t think he’d stretch out. But he matured nicely into his three-year-old year and he has figured things out.”

It took Attard nearly 20 years to get his first King’s Plate, now he can’t stop winning them. Mansetti gave him his third win in the race, which he first captured with Moira in 2022 and then with Caitlinhergrtness last year. He was especially thrilled this time for Moran, who had to spend this past winter recovering from a broken back and fractured rib after a spill in a $5,000 claiming race at Fort Erie.

“To win this with Pietro Moran, a young up-and-coming rider, is that much more special for me,” Attard said. “He’s a great kid. He’s worked hard in our stable. And to get this kind of success this early, it makes it that much more special to me.”

Scorching ended fourth. David Moran also rode in the race and finished eighth aboard Willian T. Woodbine Oaks winner No Time was a disappointing ninth, while Plate Trial winner Sedbury’s Ghost was 11th.

Attard indicated Mansetti may run in the second jewel of Canada’s triple crown, the Prince of Wales Stakes on Sept. 9 at Fort Erie.