Woodbine Wrap: The Great Pink Lloyd and another winning Venture

Legend. Superstar. Greatness. Champion.

Those are just some of the dozens of superlatives used to describe the remarkable PINK LLOYD since he began his unforgettable racing career on August 28, 2016.

He has won 24 stakes races, 27 races in all, and is still winning graded stakes at the age of nine, his latest being the Sept. 25 Bold Venture (G3) over four modest rivals.

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It is almost hard to describe how great this lanky, smooth-striding gelding has been and how he will go down as one of the country’s all-time great sprinters. He has been well managed and deeply cared for by trainer Robert Tiller and owners Entourage Stable. He has earned over $2 million and has attracted a following all over the racing universe.

This past weekend, Pink Lloyd had to adjust his style of racing as the Bold Venture field was small and there was no speed in the race. He pricked his ears and went to the lead early in the 6 1/2 furlong race on Tapeta for a $168,000 purse.

Joined to the outside by Lucky Curlin, Pink Lloyd rattled off an opening quarter in :23.83, holding a half-length advantage over the second choice on the board. It was status quo through a half timed in :46.68, as the cat-and-mouse game between the frontrunners began to heat up around the turn for home.

Pink Lloyd, to the inside, was engaged by Lucky Curlin as the pair straightened for home, but Pink Floyd dug in gamely to fend off the strong challenge enroute to a three-quarter length victory in a time of 1:15.13.

The son of Old Forester – Gladiator Queen by Great Gladiator, bred by John Carey, went off as the even-money choice and returned $4.10 to win. Lucky Curlin finished second and Lookin to Strike was third.

Tiller, joined by his wife Gail in the winner’s circle, was emotional in the post-race interview.

“I never trained a nine-year-old stakes winner,” offered the lifetime winner of over 2,050 races. “He’s still out here beating the best sprinters. I’m just so very happy today because I thought he should have won his last race [Grade 3 Vigil on August 1 at Woodbine]. This is not his best race on the lead, that’s not what he wants. He likes to run at horses. He’s a very competitive horse, but we had no choice today. Raffi just rode his race. As soon as the gates opened, I knew he was going to make the lead. We didn’t want to get shuffled back because there really is no speed in the race.

“It’s an amazing story,” said Tiller. “I don’t think any horse is going to come along soon and do what he’s done. He’s running because he’s so happy. He’s sounder now than he’s ever been. I thank the good Lord that my wife is here to see him. This one today is very special. We’re blessed to have had this horse. He’s an icon.”

Carey’s GLADIATOR QUEEN has a 3-year-old full brother to Pink Lloyd, OLD BLUE CLIFF, who had a workout on Sept. 29 on the Tapeta at Woodbine of :48.40 for four furlongs. A grey colt who was bought back by Carey, Old Blue Cliff is trained by Peter Berringer.

At this year’s CTHS Ontario yearling sale, a full sister to Pink Lloyd sold for $140,000 to Bruno Schickedanz.

Pink Lloyd’s final career race is likely the KENNEDY ROAD STAKES on Nov. 27. He will then be retired at LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society’s farm in Hillsburgh by Tiller.

Miss Speedy wins first stake race

In other Saturday stakes action, Miss Speedy took the $141,300 Duchess for three-year-old fillies, besting nine rivals over seven furlongs on the main track.

It was Miss Speedy, with Rafael Hernandez aboard, who emerged with the lead in a tightly-bunched group, holding a one-length advantage after a quarter timed in :22.82. The duo was still running comfortably on the front end by 1 ½-lengths after a half-mile in :45.41, as Bellissime and Sweet Souper Sweet tracked the leader.

Hernandez called on Miss Speedy around the turn, and the pair started to separate themselves from any late challengers with relative ease, maintaining their two-length advantage at the stretch call for the victory. Aug Lutes was second and Salty as Can Be, also a Casse trainee, was third.

The final time was 1:21.10.

Although the plan wasn’t to go to the lead, Hernandez was content to set the pace.

“I was thinking I was going to be second, maybe third, behind two horses that show early speed,” said the champion rider. “When the gates opened, my horse was in there, and I looked inside me and said, ‘No one is going to go, okay I’ll take it.’ And then everything was on the horse.”

It was the third win from four starts for the Mark Casse-trained filly, who launched her career with a couple of strong performances this summer for owners Gary Barber, Ryan Shane Kerbel and Barry Kerbel.

Miss Speedy arrived at the Duchess off a fourth-place finish in the Bison City Stakes, in what was her first added-money test.

The daughter of Souper Speedy – Miss Dorothy by Stormin Fever paid $6.60 to win as the slight choice.

Miss Speedy was bred in Ontario by Linda Mason.

Rain, Rain

Following Thursday’s cancellation of racing due to heavy rain playing havoc with the Tapeta surface, racing resumed Friday. The E P Taylor turf course was not used for the last three days and the inner turf was used Sunday and appeared to be on the good to yielding side.

Some of the winners from the weekend included:

Ryan Jones saddled his first winner of the meeting when I’M A CHI TOO won a $25,000 claiming maiden 2-year-old race on Sunday. The Florida-bred by Chitcu was ridden by Keveh Nicholls for owners Jamal Watson, Jefferson Gill and Ricardo Sterling.

DROP A CARIBOU won his maiden in a five-furlong turf race on Sunday in his second career race for Frank DiGiulio Jr and Tiler. The son of Where’s the Ring is named after the phrase used in a Tragically Hip song which means making a phone call (the caribou is on the Canadian quarter).

Owner and trainer KEITH EDWARDS won his first race of the 2021 season when UNLIMITED TALENT rallied wide to win for $25,000 claiming on Sunday. The 3-year-old by Souper Speedy – Sammy’s Choice by Bold Executive was making his fourth start of the season and seventh overall and he has two wins. Jason Hoyte rode.

Another Tiller winner on the weekend was BROWNING ISLAND (one of the largest islands on the Muskoka Lakes). This guy won his maiden in this third race for owner and breeder Dr. Rolph Davis and Patrick Husbands was on board. The gelding is by Sky Mesa out of the Pleasantly Perfect mare Wilnosperfection whose dam Campagnarde is a Grade 1 winner and champion.

GABE GROSSBERG is one of numerous American owners who have opened up a breeding shop in Ontario and his homebreds have done well. His 2-year-old filly YA MAR (Silent Name (Jpn) – Shyama by Henrythenavigator) sped to her maiden win in a five-furlong Tapeta dash on Saturday. It was her second career race and she is from the same dam as turf winner Threshold. Mark Casse trains.

LNJ Foxwoods and Josie Carroll unleashed a debut winner in DRIEDEL on Sept. 25. A $550,000 yearling two years ago, the filly rallied to win at 6 1/2 furlongs as the big favourite. Dreidel is by Curlin from the stakes-winning mare Twirl, who is by Galileo (Ire).