Yorkton romps in Bold Venture Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Yorkton went straight to the front and never looked back to romp in Saturday’s $143,500 Bold Venture Stakes, leaving the troubled favorite Pink Lloyd well back in fifth.

Pink Lloyd broke through the gate before the start of the Grade 3 sprint, but was promptly reloaded and then broke awkwardly before racing in midpack.

Under Jesse Campbell, Yorkton ($12.10) set moderate splits on an uncontested lead, and then drew off in the stretch to win by 5 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:15.05 for 6 1/2 furlongs.

Sweet Little Man rallied from midpack to get second by a nose over Battle in Seattle, who closed from last in the nine-horse field. Ikerrin Road, last year’s Bold Venture victor, was scratched.

Campbell said he was surprised that he out-sprinted the other speed in the lineup.

“We discussed Plan B,” Campbell said. “When Pink Lloyd did what he did, Plan A came to the [forefront]. My hat’s off to this horse. He ran right through his bridle today. I’ve loved this horse since he was a 2-year-old. He runs good fresh.”

A son of Speightstown, Yorkton banked $90,000 for Chiefswood Stable and trainer Stuart Simon.

“He’s been a nice little horse,” Simon said. “He’s really matured a lot in the last two months. He’s probably put on 50 pounds of flesh. I was pretty confident he’d run well today.”