TORONTO, September 5, 2020 – Canadian racing icon Pink Lloyd took the biggest slice of the pie and boosted his cash stash past the $2 million mark in career earnings with another winning effort in Grade 3 Vigil Stakes on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Woodbine Racetrack.
Trained by Canadian Hall of Famer Robert Tiller, Pink Lloyd nearly matched his own track record on the Tapeta, sprinting six furlongs in 1:08.06. He came within one hundredth of a second of his mark while carrying 128 pounds.
Track announcer Robert Geller called it one of the best starts of his career as the popular chestnut gelding broke well from post seven with a head in front early. He settled into stalking position behind a quartet of early leavers before making his winning move on the final turn for Rafael Hernandez.
Pink Lloyd rallied home a clear winner with Olympic Runner, who finished a neck back in their last Grade 3 Bold Venture match-up, closing from the backfield for the runner-up honours once again.
City Boy, among the duelling front-runners through early fractions of :21.97 and :43.92, finished 1-1/2 lengths behind in third and just a half-length in front of Eskiminzin, Malibu Secret, Blind Ambition and Roaring Forties. Silent Jimmie and Not So Quiet completed the order of finish.
“He’s so dear to my heart. We believe in him so much,” said Tiller, though admitting he was the most nervous he’s been in a long time today. “He’s going to get two months off now and he deserves it. We’ll be back in the fall.”
Bred in Ontario by John Carey and owned by Entourage Stable, the gelded son of Old Forester is now four-for-four during his eight-year-old campaign and has won 26 of his 31 starts lifetime.
He previously reeled off 11 consecutive victories from 2017 into 2018, and is currently riding a 10-race win streak following a perfect season in 2019.
The newly minted double millionaire boasts a record four Vigil Stakes victories, six Sovereign Awards, and a total of 23 stakes wins among his accomplishments. Taking the $90,000 winner’s share of the purse, he now has $2,066,330 in career earnings.
“I don’t think you’re going to find another horse like him again. He’s a Canadian racing icon,” said Tiller. “This is a true, true champion. And I’ve said it many times, I just love him to death and he just keeps amazing me.”
Send postward as the 4-5 favourite, Pink Lloyd paid $3.80 to win.
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