Silent Poet, Pink Lloyd set to face off in Kennedy Road

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Canadian champion male sprinter honors could be on the line in the Grade 2, $175,000 Kennedy Road here Nov. 21, when Silent Poet is scheduled to meet the imposing Pink Lloyd at six furlongs.

Silent Poet is Woodbine’s top turf sprinter. The 5-year-old Stronach Stable runner was never better than this year while winning 4 of 5 starts, with his only loss being a third over a mile in the Grade 2 King Edward. He has a pair of Grade 2 stakes scores to his credit at the meet, the July 11 Connaught Cup and the Oct. 18 Nearctic, where the front-runner dominated a quality field.

Silent Poet has just a maiden win from four synthetic-track starts, which include a poor showing going 1 1/4 miles in the 2018 Queen’s Plate.

“He did some good [synthetic] running in the early part of his career,” trainer Nick Gonzalez recalled. “He just got so good on the turf that we stuck to it. There’s no more turf for him [at the meet]. He came out of the [Nearctic] better than he went into it. I talked it over with the Stronachs. If there was any minor reason to stop on him, we would and just send him to the farm in Ocala, but he’s doing so amazingly good. He’s just got it all going on right now. We’re just going to drive on.”

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The popular 8-year-old Pink Lloyd is in midst of another terrific season, going 4 for 4 in a series of stakes on the Tapeta. The 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year, Pink Lloyd has won the Sovereign Award as Canada’s champion male sprinter each of the last three years. Silent Poet finished a distant second in the voting for 2019, during which he won the Grade 2 Play the King.

“He was recognized last year, and he’s better this year,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said winning the Nearctic was an emotional victory due to the recent loss of his wife and assistant, Martha, who died from cancer. Justin Stein paid tribute to her after riding Silent Poet in the race.

“Justin said some really good stuff when they interviewed him after the race,” Gonzalez said. “I got many calls and texts over that. It was pretty emotional for all of us back at the barn, in a good way.”

◗ Stein has appealed a suspension that was scheduled to cover this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Heading into this week, he led the jockey standings by a 110-104 count over Rafael Hernandez.

Stein has calls in $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday and the $250,000 Coronation Futurity on Sunday.