Pink Lloyd a finalist in two Sovereign Award categories

Pink Lloyd, who was unbeaten in eight stakes starts last year, is a finalist in two 2017 Sovereign Award categories that were announced by the Jockey Club of Canada on Thursday.

The 43rd annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony will take place on April 19, when the hardware for 16 awards will be doled out at Woodbine.

The Robert Tiller-trained Pink Lloyd is a finalist for champion male sprinter and champion older male. He’s a top contender for Canadian Horse of the Year honors, along with the Ami’s Mesa, who’s a finalist in the corresponding female categories. The Horse of the Year finalists will be announced on the night of the awards ceremony.

The awards have been modified from four to three finalists this year, excluding ties, and the champion 3-year-old filly division does have four finalists –Daz Lin Dawn, Estone, Inflexibility, and Queen’s Plate winner Holy Helena.

Enstone and Inflexibility are also finalists for champion turf female, along with multiple graded stakes winner Starship Jubilee. The male turf finalists are Channel Maker, Johnny Bear and Tower of Texas.

The finalists for champion male 2-year-old are Admiralty Pier, Archaggelos and Be Vewy Vewy Quiet. Barbara Minshall trains Admiralty Pier and the unbeaten Dream It Is, who’s a 2-year-old filly finalist, along with Dixie Moon and Wonder Gadot.

The champion male 3-year-old category is toss-up between Breeders’ Stakes victor Channel Maker, Mr Havercamp,and Grade 3 Ontario Derby winner Tiz a Slam.

Joining Ami’s Mesa in the older female group are her Josie Carroll-trained stablemates, Moonlit Promise and Gamble’s Ghost. Moonlit Promise is also a champion female sprinter finalist, along with Jennifer Lynnette.

Ikerrin Road and Yorkton round out the champion male sprinter division. Gigantic Breeze and Melmich complete the high-quality older male group.

Keen Victory, Loving Vindication, Miss Crissy and Victorious Ami are the finalists for outstanding broodmare, which is a lifetime achievement award.

The top owner finalists are Chiefswood Stable, Ivan Dalos, and Stronach Stable. Dalos’ Tall Oaks Farm made the top three for outstanding breeder, along with Adena Springs and Anderson Farms Ont. Inc.

Carroll is a finalist for top trainer, along with Mark Casse, Catherine Day Phillips, and Norm McKnight.

Pink Lloyd’s rider, Eurico Da Silva, will clash with Ami’s Mesa’s rider, Luis Contreras, in the outstanding jockey category, which also includes Rico Walcott.

The outstanding apprentice finalists are Ridge Balgobin, Brandon Duchaine, and Rey Williams.

The finalists for all three media categories will be announced by March 1.

Tickets for the Thursday night ceremony are available at the Jockey Club of Canada website.