Thoroughbred Daily News 8/16/25 By Christina Bossinakis
Etobicoke, Ontario–Heart stopping. Those are often the words used to describe the thrill of winning a horse race. After Mansetti (Collected) crossed the finish line first in Saturday’ s King’s Plate Stakes at Woodbine, Al and Bill Ulwelling and their team erupted into a frenzied celebration as a steady string of well-wishers passed by their box to congratulate the Minnesota-based owners on their first King’s Plate win.
And then, the unexpected. As the team made their way over to the winner’s circle in the Woodbine infield, 72-year-old Bill Ulwelling collapsed on the track apron before having a chance to make his long-awaited pilgrimage across the track. The moments that ensued were in a word, frightening, and with a gaggle of onlookers crowding around, Woodbine officials and security attempted to keeping the throng at bay.
Several moments later, winning trainer Kevin Attard came sprinting back to check on his owner, red faced and visibly concerned, but was assured by paramedics that the situation was under control.
“They told me he was stable at that moment, and he was conscious,” said Attard. “I guess he knew to lay flat, which is what you are supposed to do it that situation. Luckily, it worked out well. I think maybe have been just a bit too much excitement.”
He continued, “From what the paramedics said, it seems his heart stopped while he was walking down to get his photo taken and greet the horse. He has a pacemaker and it can give you a shock, and it seems like that happened a few times.”
Ultimately, Bill was able to sit up, and was ushered off to the local hospital for further examination, without having been able to partake in the celebratory moment in the winner’s enclosure.
“The pacemaker saved his life today,” said Al Ulwelling via text later in the evening.
It would seem there was a much bigger victory won by the Ulwellings Saturday afternoon.
Moran Offers a Textbook Ride on Mansetti
In the days leading up to the King’s Plate, the question that kept coming up time and again was whether Mansetti would be able to last the 10-furlong distance. Earlier in the week, Attard said that the colt’s progress from two to three and his gallop out following his latest victory in the GIII Marine Stakes were among the main reasons that he expected the colt to be able to handle the assignment. However, the masses did not listen.
Sent off an overlaid 18-1 chance in the field of 13, the Ontario-bred took backseat to 7-2 choice Notorious Gangster (Classic Empire) marginally ahead of second choice No Time (Not This Time), impressive winner of the Woodbine Oaks in her latest start. Others taking some play at the window, 5-1 third choice Tom’s Magic (Justify), winner of Monmouth’s grassy Tale of the Cat Stakes in June, Plate Trial Stakes winner Sedburys Ghost (Shaman Ghost) and last season’s Cup and Saucer victor Ashley’s Archer (Karakontie {Jpn}), both installed as 7-1 shots.
Cleanly away, it was 15-1 chance Scorching (Mo Town) who got first jump, leading the field through an opening quarter mile in a crisp :22.93. However, by the time they made it to the first turn, Mansetti scooted up along the inside, and was nursed along by jockey Pietro Moran as Scorching prompted the issue to his outside. Meanwhile, the sole filly in the field was in a covered-up position just behind as the pacesetter threw down a half in :47.45. Spurting clear at the quarter pole, Mansetti was given a reminder by Moran in early stretch as Scorching started to weaken while Tom’s Magic began to unfurl his long chestnut legs from the back of the field.
Appearing to be free and clear rolling down the lane, Tom’s Magic swallowed up ground with every stride, and despite closing like a freight train late, he was unable to catch the front-runner, who finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead at the wire. Notorious Gangster closed to be third, two lengths behind, and Scorching rounded out the Super. No Time faded to finish ninth.
Saturday represented a banner day for trainer Kevin Attard, who also won the GII King Edward Stakes with Gas Me Up one race after the Plate, and the Soaring Free Stakes with Two Out Hero one race later.
Fellow Attard runners Dewolf (Silent Name {Jpn}) was fifth, while Faber (Improbable) finished sixth.
“It turned out to be a great day,” said Attard, who was winning his third Plate after wins with Moira and Caitlinhergrtness. “We had been in a bit of a slump with horses getting beat by a lot or just not running up to expectations. It’s been a little frustrating. You just have to keep doing what you know works and keep pounding the pavement. Luckily, things started to roll and gave us a nice little hat trick in the day.”
As for the break down of the race, Attard explained, “When I saw the first quarter I was concerned we were going a little too quick. But then I was pleased with the half time. After that, I could see the horse was in his rhythm, so I wasn’t really watching the time at that point. The idea was to get off the rail in case somebody wanted the lead, for them to take it and we get cover. But he really wanted to go. Scorching kind of pressed. Pietro did a really good job getting him to relax.”
A first-up winner at Woodbine last September, Mansetti finished off-the-board in the Display Stakes but bounced back to take the six-furlong Clarendon Stakes against Ontario breds in October.
This season, he was a distant fifth after a troubled start in the one-mile Jerome Stakes at the Big A before winning by four lengths in Woodstock Stakes over six panels in April. Well supported in the Queenston Stakes June 8, the bay had an equipment malfunction early, leading to a forgettable fifth behind Notrious Gangster.
Let go at 5-1 while contesting two turns for the first time in his career in the GIII Marine Stakes, he got the best of Scorching by a length.
Mansetti entering the winner’s enclosure for the King’s Plate | Michael Burns photo
“I would have probably laughed, you know. This horse really changed from two to three when he got back to Woodbine this season to start his 3-year-old campaign,” said Attard. “He was just acting differently. He showed a lot of talent from a young age, and I really thought he was going to be a good horse, but he just got so kind of keen and eager as a baby that you didn’t think he’d stretch out. Luckily for us, he matured nicely over the wintertime, and into his 3-year-old year, he’s just kind of figured things out.”
He continued, “We trained him with the [King’s Plate] in mind and I am proud with the job we did with him. There had been some doubt if he could go that far. With the seven weeks in between, it all worked out really well.”
According to Attard, Mansetti will likely target the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie Sept. 9. Contested on the dirt, the second leg in the Canadian Triple Crown is conducted over 1 mile 3/16ths.
“Honestly, I am not that concerned about the dirt,” Attard admitted. “The shorter distance should help him too, and he trains over the dirt. He hasn’t been working over it obviously because we were focusing on this race. We’ll just enjoy the moment and let him dictate if he is ready to proceed on to the next leg.”
He added, “I haven’t been able to lead a Plate winner back into the Prince of Wales, so I am definitely looking for to it. And maybe winning a Triple Crown.”
His final statement begged the question whether the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Stakes at Woodbine Sept. 28 might also be in the cards.
“That is probably stretching it for him,” he laughed. “But you have to go one race at a time. We’ve got the first leg down and we’ll see what’ll happen with the second.”
The victory also represented the first victory for Moran, who finished fourth aboard Pierre in last year’s King’s Plate. Making the victory even sweeter, the 20-year-old rider was facing his father, David, in Saturday’s Classic. With the elder Moran aboard William T (Frosted, eighth), it was the first time a father and son were riding against each other in the Plate.
“I am very proud of him,” said Attard. “To accomplish this kind of feat at this young of an age. It is a testament to what the future holds for him.”
Moran, who started racing in 2023, rounded out Saturday’s card with 66 wins, leading all riders at the oval.
“He is just a natural,” concluded Attard. “He has also worked hard to get to where he is today even though it hasn’t really been that long of a journey for him. He deserves it. Winning the Plate is very special. But winning it with Pietro, is just that much more.”
Pedigree Notes:
Mansetti, a $40,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale last season, is out of Gidget Girl, also the dam of dual stakes winner Staright Up G (Straight Fire). Bred by Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing, the Ontario-bred colt also has an unraced juvenile half-brother by Maxfield, in addition to a foal brother by Simplification. The Sky Mesa mare was bred back to Simplification.
Saturday, Woodbine
KING’S PLATE S., C$1,002,500, Woodbine, 8-16, (C), 3yo, 1 1/4m (AWT), 2:03.68, ft.
1–MANSETTI, 126, c, 3, by Collected
1st Dam: Gidget Girl, by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: Surfer Girl (Brz), by Wild Event
3rd Dam: Australian Girl (Arg), by Lode
($40,000 2yo ’24 OBSAPR). O-Al and Bill Ulwelling; B-Jungle Racing, LLC (ON); T-Kevin Attard; J-Pietro Moran. C$600,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 8-5-0-0, $689,872. *1/2 to Straight Up G (Straight Fire), MSW, $209,660.
2–Tom’s Magic, 126, c, 3, Justify–Dixie Chicken, by Rahy. ($200,000 Ylg ’23 KEESEP). O-CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing; B-Sean Fitzhenry & Dorothy Fitzhenry (ON); T-Michael Stidham. C$200,000.
3–Notorious Gangster, 126, c, 3, Classic Empire–Sister Nova, by Verrazano. O-Mark Dodson; B-Mark Dodson (ON); T-Josie Carroll. C$100,000.
Margins: 2HF, 2, NK. Odds: 18.35, 5.80, 3.50.
Also Ran: Scorching, Dewolf, Faber, Watsonville Red, William T, No Time, Runaway Again, Sedburys Ghost, Mythical Man, Ashley’s Archer.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
