Pink Lloyd Well Clear in Third Kenora Stakes Victory
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Photo: Michael Burns
Pink Lloyd wins the Kenora by 5 1/4 lengths at Woodbine
Pink Lloyd has done it again with style and ease.
Once a US$28,446 yearling in Canada, Pink Lloyd kept his 2019 season perfect in the CA$100,000 (US$75,281) OLG Kenora Stakes Presented by HBPA of Ontario Aug. 28 at Woodbine—the 7-year-old gelding's fifth straight stakes win and third consecutive score in the Kenora.
Racing exclusively at Woodbine, Pink Lloyd brought his record to 21 wins from 26 starts for Sovereign Award-winning conditioner Robert Tiller, who trains for Entourage Stable. Of those, 18 were in stakes.
Off at odds of 1-9 in Wednesday's six-furlong test on the all-weather track, Pink Lloyd left post 3 without incident. Although rushed to the lead, he was taken back to second by jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva. Circle of Friends took up the lead and set opening fractions of :22.73 and :44.78, with Pink Lloyd off his flank and ready to pounce.
As the rivals rounded the turn, Pink Lloyd came to even terms with Circle of Friends. Da Silva waited patiently for the straight of the stretch before giving his mount two taps of the whip, which sent the pair to a clear lead. The final time was 1:08.28. Pink Lloyd won by 5 1/4 lengths and, with no show or place wagering, paid $2.30.
Circle of Friends finished second, with Magical Man another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
A six-furlong specialist who holds the track record of 1:08.05 for the distance at Woodbine, Pink Lloyd started the year with a score in the May 4 Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) and followed that with the June 1 Greenwood Stakes. He then took the Vigil Stakes (G3) by 4 1/2 lengths before taking the 6 1/2-furlong Shepperton Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths.
Bred in Ontario by John Carey, who consigned him to the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's 2013 Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale, Pink Lloyd is out of the Great Gladiator mare Gladiator Queen. Pink Lloyd is the mare's only stakes winner, though she has three other winners.
Tiller's barn favorite, 'Pinky' now has earnings of $1,231,728.