The Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes has not been the favourite race of champion PINK LLOYD coming into the 2020 renewal, a rare sprint event at Woodbine he has not conquered.
That is until Saturday, when under nifty maneuvering by his rider Rafael Hernandez Pink Lloyd busted between pacesetters to take the lead and then hold off a furious run by Gary Barber’s Olympic Runner to win by a neck. His time for 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:106.03.
That is 22 stakes wins, 25 wins for the now 8-year-old icon, one of Canada’s best all-time sprinters. Bred by John Carey is Shelburne, ON, Pink Lloyd is owned by Entourage Stable and trained by Bob Tiller. He was a $30,00 yearling purchase. His Canadian earnings stand at $1.97 million.
The race was a bit hairy for Pink Lloyd to begin as a slow pace materialized between Malibu Secret and Roaring Forties, 23.22 and 45.60. Pink Lloyd was 3 wide and stalking but dropped back on the rail when the field quickened on the turn. Hernandez was in a jackpot into the stretch but just waited and when Malibu Secret moved out of his path, Hernandez sent Pink Lloyd on through and the champ responded. Olympic Runner sprinted late to just miss and Malibu Secret held third.
“He overcame a bad trip for him,” said Tiller. “He likes to run at horses rather than be squeezed between them. But it’s a hot day and he was not as sharp as he could have been.”
Pink Lloyd carried 128 pounds in the victory.
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