The party continues for Pink Lloyd, the under-the-radar Canadian Thoroughbred that just keeps raking in the victories and the dollars.
The north-of-the border win machine coasting to his 20th career win for Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller on Sunday afternoon at his home base, Woodbine Racetrack, near Toronto. Although he’s never raced against top sprinters in the US, like Mitole or contested the Queen Plate, his greatness remains.
Tiller says his horse with the clever moniker is going to continue to terrorize fellow older sprinters at Woodbine with more of the same. His Sunday triumph in the $100,000 Shepperton Stakes marked Pink Lloyd’s fourth consecutive stakes victory of 2019. Only five others contested the race, and Pink Lloyd easily outclassed and overmatched them all in the end.
No Place or Show Betting in Easy Win
Sent off as the prohibitive 1/5 favorite, the seven-year-old chestnut gelding executes his game plan perfectly by stalking the frontrunners from third, then rallying on the final turn drawing off easily in a 4-1/4 lengths win in 1:15.40. Regular jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva aboard for the ride, only mildly urging Pink Lloyd in the stretch.
Pink Lloyd, toting 127 pounds, producing meager rewards for bettors at a measly 15 cents for each dollar bet – Woodbine disallowed any place or show wagering.
Jockey Da Silva said in a post-race interview, “He’s just having fun and running so relaxed. He did it very easy today. I’m just grateful to be a part of Pink Lloyd’s life. He’s such a great horse to ride, and to work with this man here [Tiller], there’s nothing better.
Pink Lloyd previously won the Shepperton in 2017 before finishing third to Kingsport in last year’s edition ending a then 11-race win streak.
Horse of a Lifetime
The Ontario-bred gelding now shows an impressive resume that includes:
- 17 stakes wins
- four Sovereign Awards including a Horse of the Year title for his perfect eight-for-eight campaign in 2017
- a track record of 1:08.05 for six furlongs on Woodbine’s synthetic surface set in the 2018 Jacques Cartier
- more than $1.5 million in purse earnings from 25 starts.
The Sovereign Award is given annually by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing.
From veteran trainer Tiller:
“This is his 17th stakes win and his 20th win. I don’t remember having any [other] horses close to winning 20 races,†Tiller said. “I’ve never had a horse win more than three or four or five stakes. I’ve been doing this for 48 years and I’ve never seen a horse at Woodbine run like him and you never will again in the sprint races. I’ve lost words for explaining what he is. We love him to death. He’s just one of the great loves of my life.â€
For the complete Shepperton Stakes chart, click here.
Click here to view Pink Lloyd’s entire legacy of greatness.
