Pink Lloyd looks to add to stakes tally in Bold Venture
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Perennial Canadian champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd seems poised to make his way back into the winner’s circle in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Bold Venture at Woodbine.
Pink Lloyd is making his third start of the year in the 6 1/2-furlong Bold Venture, a race that at times has been his Achilles heel. He wound up fifth in the 2018 Bold Venture and was declared a non-starter after ending up fourth in 2019 before winning it last year over Olympic Runner.
Pink Lloyd was cut up when second to Souper Stonehenge in his season opener in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier. His wounds healed in time for the Grade 3 Vigil, in which he emerged from traffic to close for another second to Souper Stonehenge, beaten just three-quarters of a length with a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.
Trainer Robert Tiller felt that Pink Lloyd was clearly best in the six-furlong Vigil.
“I think most people who saw his last race would say he should have won it,” Tiller said. “He just got in the pocket and couldn’t get out. He had to ease back and check. It was a horrendous trip. He ran super.”
Tiller said the durable 9-year-old gelding is trying to reach new heights in the Bold Venture.
“The horse is an icon,” Tiller said. “He’s trying to win his 24th stakes. If he could go out and win one more . . . The funny thing is, he’s sounder now than he was two years ago. He’s an amazing animal.”
Tiller also entered the steady $40,000 claimer Reconfigure, who’s competing on short rest off a close fourth-place finish.
Surprisingly, trainer Mark Casse did not enter Souper Stonehenge. He supplemented Lucky Curlin and Lookin to Strike to make a six-horse field without much speed.
Lucky Curlin returned from a nine-month layoff Aug. 22 to win a second-level allowance from well off the pace going seven furlongs on the grass. Lookin to Strike finished fifth behind Lucky Curlin then after racing wide throughout.
Cash Dividend mounted a furious wide rally to win a second-level allowance Sept. 3. He was previously fourth in the Vigil, from which third-place finisher Not So Quiet exited to take the restricted Vice Regent Stakes with a 98 Beyer.
Duchess Stakes
Hazelbrook will clash with Lady War Machine in her stakes debut in Saturday’s $125,000 Duchess, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
Hazelbrook won her second start in a fast maiden special early in the meet, but didn’t race again until Sept. 4, when she rallied five wide to capture a 6 1/2-furlong allowance with an 81 Beyer.
Lady War Machine romped in both of her starts at the meet, against allowance company on the Tapeta and in the Alywow Stakes on the grass, earning an 86 Beyer in the latter race.