Larry Attard
Encyclopedia
Larry Attard is a retired Hall of Fame
Champion
jockey
and current horse trainer
in Canadian
Thoroughbred horse racing
.
Born into a Maltese family who emigrated to Canada, Attard has three older brothers who became Thoroughbred trainers. In 1973 Larry Attard began riding and although hampered by numerous injuries, his career lasted twenty-five years. He rode at Ontario's Greenwood
, Fort Erie
and Woodbine Racetrack
s. He won three riding titles at Woodbine and was the leading jockey in Ontario three times. Twice voted the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey
, among his numerous stakes race wins, in 1983 Larry Attard won Canada's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate
.
For his contribution to Thoroughbred horse racing
, in 1993 Larry Attard was voted the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
. He retired after another injury filled year in 1997 and in 2001 was inducted into the Mississauga, Ontario
Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
.
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
Champion
Sovereign Award
The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing.The most prestigious award for horses is Sovereign Horse of the Year....
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
and current horse trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
in Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
.
Born into a Maltese family who emigrated to Canada, Attard has three older brothers who became Thoroughbred trainers. In 1973 Larry Attard began riding and although hampered by numerous injuries, his career lasted twenty-five years. He rode at Ontario's Greenwood
Greenwood Raceway
Greenwood Raceway is a defunct horse racing facility in Toronto.Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owned and operated by two gentlemen named Pardee and Howell. Within a few years financial problems resulted in the property reverting...
, Fort Erie
Fort Erie Race Track
Fort Erie Race Track is a horse racing facility in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada built by the Fort Erie Jockey Club and inaugurated on June 16, 1897....
and Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...
s. He won three riding titles at Woodbine and was the leading jockey in Ontario three times. Twice voted the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey
Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey
The Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing honor given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada. Part of the Sovereign Awards, the "Outstanding Jockey" laurel is similar to the Eclipse Award given to jockeys in the United States.Honourees:*1975 : Hugo...
, among his numerous stakes race wins, in 1983 Larry Attard won Canada's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
.
For his contribution to Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
, in 1993 Larry Attard was voted the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
The Avelino Gomez Memorial Award is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing honor given annually to a jockey who is Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or a regular in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport...
. He retired after another injury filled year in 1997 and in 2001 was inducted into the Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
.