It doesn’t take long to hear it in Hall of Fame conditioner Roger Attfield’s voice, a tone that exudes pride in Musketier (Ger), a hard-knocking turf veteran who has crossed swords with talent on both sides of the Atlantic.
Last year, as a nine-year-old, Musketier, a Germanbred son of Acatenango, contested nine races, five in the United States and four in Canada, more specifically, Woodbine. The well-travelled horse reached the winner’s circle on three occasions, including a second consecutive victory in the Grade II Elkhorn and a season-ending score in the W.L. McKnight at Calder, his sixth lifetime graded victory. He was rewarded with the most voting points for Canada’s Champion Turf Male.
For Attfield, it was a further reminder of why he has such an affinity for Musketier. “I’ll tell you this,” said Attfield, with a slight pause. “He’s been a real challenge and a real pleasure over his career. He’s defied the odds. I love the horse.”