Pink Lloyd in unfamiliar role for Vigil Stakes
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – It seems like an eternity since perennial Canadian champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd hasn’t been favored. You have to go back 28 races to the 2017 Jacques Cartier, a stakes that commenced a perfect 8-for-8 campaign that earned him Canadian Horse of the Year honors.
The streak could end Sunday in the Grade 3 Vigil at Woodbine when Pink Lloyd locks horns with Souper Stonehenge, who has beaten him in both of their meetings.
Souper Stonehenge finished second to stablemate Ride a Comet in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road in November, when a wide Pink Lloyd checked in third. Souper Stonehenge returned here in June after a winter stint in the United States to win the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier easily under Patrick Husbands, with a troubled Pink Lloyd back in second.
Trainer Mark Casse said the 5-year-old Souper Stonehenge has finally realized his potential.
“He’s a horse we’ve always liked a lot,” Casse said. “He’s had some breathing issues, and it all depends on how he handles the first part of the race. If he gets his air, he’s good at anything. Patrick rode him last year and this year, and he told me there’s no comparison—he’s much better than he was last year.”
On July 24, Souper Stonehenge breezed a half-mile under Husbands in 46.60 seconds, after zipping the opening quarter in 21.90.
Pink Lloyd was bumped early in the six-furlong Jacques Cartier and then dropped back to trail in a tightly bunched six-horse field before closing three wide to finish four lengths in arrears. Trainer Robert Tiller said the venerable 9-year-old suffered some abrasions in the race, but they didn’t require stitches.
“He got a nasty cut on his right front, right where the ankle bends,” Tiller said. “He had several other little wounds on his hind legs. I’m not saying he would have beaten the winner. The winner had everything his own way and was awesome. He still ran his eyeballs out. Didn’t have the best of trips, but that’s horse racing. He hadn’t run in seven months. I was very happy with the effort. Not surprised that he got beat.”
Pink Lloyd has won the Vigil in each of the past four years.
Casse also entered Not So Quiet in the six-horse field.
Not So Quiet captured two Ontario-sired stakes on the inner turf in October, the five-furlong Vice Regent and the 7 1/2-furlong Overskate. He faded to trail in a nine-horse field after battling up front in last year’s Vigil.
Not So Quiet dueled for the lead before tiring to fourth in his season debut in a seven-furlong allowance on the main turf. The race was won by his unbeaten stablemate Filo Di Arianna.
“I thought his race coming back was good,” Casse said.