The Baby-Faced Bandit Pietro Moran Joins TDN Writers Room Podcast

Woodbine apprentice Pietro Moran captured the $1-million King’s Plate last week aboard the Kevin Attard-trained Mansetti (Collected), marking a remarkable achievement for the 20-year-old rider.

Dubbed “The Baby-Faced Bandit,” Moran has established himself as the leading jockey at Woodbine while still carrying his apprentice status.

“I never would have thought that I’d get a King’s Plate opportunity my first full year,” Moran said during his appearance on the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast presented by Keeneland as the Gainesway Guest of the Week. “I’m just so thankful for the opportunity. Obviously, Kevin Attard has been a huge supporter of my career and he got me started. And he’s given me countless opportunities.”

Moran finished fourth in the 2023 King’s Plate aboard Pierre (Tapiture) for Attard before capturing the prestigious race in just his second attempt.

“My first ride in the Plate was a big opportunity and now I’ve had my first King’s Plate winner in just my second year. I wouldn’t be here without (Attard). I still can’t believe it. To win the biggest race in Canada…I’m just still flying high,” he added.

The young rider’s passion for racing developed at an early age, influenced by watching his father, David Moran, compete as a jockey.

“I think that even before I could walk or talk I wanted to be a jockey,” Moran explained. “I always wanted to ride horses and be a jockey and I could never see myself doing anything else. I was always just so into the game and watching my dad ride. I was always working towards getting to ride races and slowly it became a reality.”

Moran is virtually guaranteed to be named champion apprentice in Canada and stands as the favorite to win the Eclipse Award as North America’s leading apprentice rider.

Looking toward his future in the sport, Moran has set ambitious goals.

“I would love to be somewhere in the States,” he said when discussing his five-year plan. “Obviously, my dream is to be able to ride in all the big races, the graded stakes. I’d like to be able to get on really good horses every year and ride in races like the Derby and the Breeders’ Cup. That’s the goal.”

The podcast, sponsored by 1/ST TV, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders’ Association, the KTOB and XBTV.com, featured She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) as the “Fastest Horse of the Week” — a segment sponsored by WinStar. The mare earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure when winning the GI E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine.

Hosts Zoe Cadman, Bill Finley and Randy Moss also analyzed Nitrogen’s (Medaglia d’Oro) victory in the GI Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, which positioned her as the frontrunner for Eclipse Award honors.

The team previewed Saturday’s Saratoga card, headlined by the GI Travers Stakes and four additional Grade I events. The hosts expressed doubt that any competitor could defeat Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the Travers.

The complete podcast is available in both audio and video formats.