This is the story of an Ontario horseman and his son, a horse named ‘Cat,’ and a shot at Breeders’ Cup glory.
Even if he tried – and he admittedly isn’t – Kevin Attard knows he wouldn’t be able to mask his excitement at sending out his first Breeders’ Cup starter, the multiple stakes-winning gelding Calgary Cat.
In 27 career starts, the son of Cowtown Cat has 12 wins, four seconds and three thirds, along with over $860,000 in earnings.
As for what Attard’s most elated about ahead of Saturday’s Turf Sprint, one of nine races on the second day of Breeders’ Cup action at Santa Anita Park in California, the 40-year-old trainer, based out of Woodbine, isn’t quite certain.
Happily, he has a lofty list to choose from.
“To have this opportunity to be part of this all, you know it’s something you’ll never forget,” said Attard, who recently celebrated his 300
th career win. “It’s definitely a big honour to know that you are representing Ontario and Canada. And that’s what we want to do, we want to represent the best way we can.”
On November 5, Attard will hand the reins of six-year-old Calgary Cat, Canada’s champion male sprinter in 2014, to jockey Luis Contreras in the moments leading up to the 6 ½-furlong Turf Sprint.
By his side will be his 13-year-old son, Joshua, an avid horse racing fan, and perhaps Calgary Cat’s biggest supporter. He’ll arrive in California on Thursday.
“I’m really excited about going to my first Breeders’ Cup, being with my dad and watching Calgary Cat race,” said Joshua.
Consider it one of the coolest ‘Take Our Kids To Work’ days ever.
“It really is, isn’t it?” quipped Attard. “I remember coming to Hollywood Park years ago with my dad (trainer, Tino) with Kirby’s Song. I was older than my son, but it was something I still remember. To get this chance with Joshua, we’ll be able to share that forever.”
The younger Attard is no neophyte when it comes to the thoroughbred world.
“My son, he loves everything about racing,” said Attard. “He’s fascinated by it and he tracks every horse in my barn. He just loves this horse. They get along great. He has a ton of photos with him.”
He doesn’t need to be told a winner’s circle picture on thoroughbred racing’s biggest stage would be the ultimate.
While Calgary Cat won’t go off as the race favourite – he’s listed at 20-1 – Attard has plenty of faith and equal amounts of praise for the horse bred by WinStar Farm and owned by Stephen Chesney and Cory Hoffman.
Photo by Mr. Will Wong.
He comes into the Breeders’ Cup on a winning note, an upset score in the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine, contested on October 16.
Eight horses went postward in the $300,000 Nearctic, a six-furlong turf event for 3-year-olds and upward.
The race turned into a mad scramble in the late going as Conquest Enforcer established a tentative lead with Stacked Deck and Full Mast running hard to his inside and Calgary Cat rallying strongly.
At the wire, it was Calgary Cat who prevailed. He won his seventh stakes race with all of them coming since he was claimed for $25,000 on November 15, 2013.
“He came flying at the end," said Attard, who will also send out Melmich to contest Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Marathon on the Breeders' Cup undercard. "He worked into this race really well. We were expecting a good performance out of him,”
Attard's anticipating more of the same come Saturday.
“When he went off form, maybe some people wrote him off,” he offered. “But, he came back and showed the heart that he has. That’s what impresses me the most about him – he doesn’t give up and he doesn’t give in. As for the Breeders’, he deserves to be here. He’s earned it.”
Now all that’s left is to hope for one of those feel good Hollywood-type endings.
For now, Kevin Attard couldn’t have scripted it any better.
By Chris Lomon
Photo (walk to winner's circle) by Mr. Will Wong.
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