Pink Lloyd makes Jacques Cartier first stakes victory

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Pink Lloyd ($10.60) beat an accomplished field while notching his first stakes victory in Saturday’s $113,000 Jacques Cartier, the opening-day feature of the Woodbine meet.

With Eurico Da Silva up, Pink Lloyd tracked the leading Conquest Tsunami during corrected hand-timed splits of 22.32 and 44.57 in the six-furlong dash. Pink Lloyd assumed command early in the stretch, as Commute looked boldly along the inside under Patrick Husbands.

Commute joined Pink Lloyd up front around the sixteenth pole, but Pink Lloyd countered in the final strides to prevail by three-quarters of a length, in a final time of 1:08.62.

Longshot Copperplate rallied to edge the favored Stacked Deck for third in the nine-horse field.

“He’s a very good horse,” said Da Silva, who had not ridden Pink Lloyd before. “The horse was ready for me today. When I asked him turning for home, he just kicked from there.”

Pink Lloyd wintered in Ontario after splitting Stacked Deck and Commute for second in the Nov. 25 Kennedy Road Stakes.

“It was tough to get to this race,” trainer Bob Tiller said. “He’s a tough horse to get around the racetrack. Rafael Sanchez, who gets on him in the mornings, has done a wonderful job. This is his first really sound year. I believe he’s a very good horse, and he’s convinced me today.”

Pink Lloyd, a 5-year-old gelding by leading Ontario sire Old Forester, earned $72,000 for Entourage Stable.