{"id":347492,"date":"2025-08-15T21:17:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T21:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/347492\/"},"modified":"2025-08-15T21:17:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T21:17:16","slug":"father-and-son-jockeys-face-off-in-historic-first-at-the-kings-plate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/347492\/","title":{"rendered":"Father and son jockeys face-off in historic first at The King\u2019s Plate"},"content":{"rendered":"

TORONTO \u2013 History will be made at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, when David and Pietro Moran become the first father and son jockeys to ever compete against each other in The King\u2019s Plate, Canada\u2019s most prestigious thoroughbred horse race.<\/p>\n

Now in its 166th running, the longest continuously run thoroughbred race in North America, The King\u2019s Plate is the first leg of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown. With the Morans in the starting gate, this year\u2019s edition adds a unique chapter to its storied history, as father and son each vie for a place in racing history.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompeting in The King\u2019s Plate is important to every jockey,\u201d said David. \u201cTo be here alongside my son, both of us with the same ambition to win The Plate is a very special feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Pietro, riding against his father in the nation\u2019s biggest race is both a challenge and an honour.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up watching him race and learning from him,\u201d he said. \u201cNow we get to share this moment together on the sport\u2019s biggest stage \u2014 it\u2019s surreal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FatherFather and son jockeys, David and Pietro Moran. (Photo by Michael Burns)<\/p>\n

Coincidently, Pietro and David will line up side-by-side in the starting gate. Pietro will ride the Kevin Attard-trained Mansetti from post-one, while David will start from post-two with William T, trained by Don MacRae.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The milestone underscores the deep family traditions and generational ties that run through the horse racing industry, where knowledge, skill, and passion are often passed down as an inheritance from parents to children.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoments like this remind us that The King\u2019s Plate is not just about competition, it\u2019s about history, heritage, and the people who make our sport so special,\u201d said Michael Copeland, CEO of Woodbine Entertainment. \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to witness this remarkable family achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n