TORONTO — The $1-million King's Plate will be a family affair for David and Pietro Moran.
The father-and-son jockeys will not only both ride in the opening jewel of the OLG Canadian Triple Crown, they'll also line up alongside one another Saturday at Woodbine Racetrack. Pietro Moran will break from the No. 1 post on Mansetti while William T, with David Moran aboard, will have the No. 2 spot in the 13-horse field.
"It's definitely very special," Pietro Moran said Tuesday from the race draw at Woodbine. "Not just to have father and son in a race together but in a race this big, 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."
This will mark Pietro Moran's second Plate after finishing fourth last year aboard Pierre. David Moran was second in the '21 Plate with Riptide Rock, just a head behind Safe Conduct.
The '25 season has been a solid one for Pietro Moran as the 20-year-old apprentice is Woodbine's leading jockey with 61 victories. Adding a King's Plate to that total, Moran said, would be surreal.
"That would just definitely put it over the moon," he said. "This is the race everyone looks to every year, it's Canada's biggest."
David Moran, who couldn't attend the draw, agreed.
"What are the chances?" he said via telephone. "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."
And while the Morans will line up beside one another Saturday, David Moran doesn't expect any pre-race chatter between the two.
"I think we'll both be in the zone," he said. "At the end of the day we're out there to win the race.
"But 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."
Filly No Time, the '25 Woodbine Oaks champion, was installed as the early 7-2 favourite ahead of Notorious Gangster (9-2) and Tom's Magic (5-1). Mansetti was at 10-1 while William T is a 20-1 pick.
The field with post, horse, jockey and odds, includes: 1) Mansetti, Pietro Moran, 10-1; 2. William T, David Moran, 20-1; 3) Notorious Gangster, Fraser Aebly, 9-2; 40 Scorching, Jose Lezcano, 10-1; 5) Mythical Man, Sofia Vives, 50-1; 6) Faber, Pietro Moran, 30-1; 7) Runaway Again, Javier Castellano, 12-1; 8) Dewolf, Flavien Prat, 30-1; 9) Watsonville Red, Leo Salles, 50-1; 10) No Time, John Velazquez, 7-2; 11) Tom’s Magic, Rafael Hernandez; 5-1; 12. Sedburys Ghost, Ryan Munger, 6-1; and 13) Ashley’s Archer, Sahin Civaci, 12-1.
Pietro Moran and Mansetti come into the Plate off a win June 28 in the $150,000 Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine. Mansetti has two victories in four starts this year.
"Pietro has always shown a maturity well beyond his age," said Kevin Attard, a two-time Plate champion and Canada's top trainer last year. "More than anything, maybe he has a bit more poise now a little bit more confidence and that comes with riding.
"He has ridden a majority of the stakes and big races and I think it's a feather in his cap that people are seeking him out even though he's an apprentice. I think that says a lot."
Drawing the rail isn't ideal but Moran feels he has the horse to navigate through traffic and stay out of trouble.
"You want to get out of the gate clean and be forwardly faced and he can do that for you," he said. "Last time, I was very happy with how he settled for the first time going two turns.
"I think once he relaxes early on he'll have a good kick at the end and he's a horse that won't give up."
William T has been in the money in all three starts this season (win, second and third) and is also coming off a win in its last race.
No Time comes off a solid Oaks victory July 20. She won the 1 1/8-mile race on Woodbine's Tapeta surface with Velazquez aboard in one minute 50.14 seconds, earning Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse a record-tying fifth victory in the event.
On the same card, Munger guided Sedburys Ghost to victory in the $150,000 Plate Trial (1 1/8 miles on Tapeta) in 1:50.37.
No Time will look to secure Casse a fourth Plate title, and third by a filly. Also vying for a fourth Plate crown is trainer Josie Carroll (Notorious Gangster).
Attard will have three horses in Saturday's race, including Mansetti. The others are Dewolf and Faber. Moran is also listed to ride Faber but an alternate jockey will be found for the Plate.
In addition to No Time, Casse will send out Ashley's Archer on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2025.
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
