Da Silva Takes Kennedy Road in Last Ride on Pink Lloyd
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Photo: Michael Burns
Pink Lloyd wins the Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine
Pink Lloyd's rallying score in the Nov. 23 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2) at Woodbine was not only visually impressive, but emotionally charged.
As the 7-year-old gelding circled the field and pulled clear under regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva, it marked their last time together on race day.
Da Silva, Canada's outstanding jockey the past four years, plans to retire at the end of the Woodbine season, which wraps up Dec. 15.
"I want to thank this horse for all the good feelings he gave me," said da Silva, 44, wiping tears from his eyes. "Yesterday was not easy for me, and today was a tough time because I know it was my last time riding him. All I can say is, I've never had so much great feelings from a horse like I did with him.
"And you see today, there was so much traffic in front of me, I just took him back and I said, 'Boy, we need to go outside.' I went probably six wide in the turn. You know, there's only one horse that can do it. His name is Pink Lloyd."
The victory was sweet relief following the previous race for Entourage Stable's Pink Lloyd. After breaking awkwardly in the Sept. 14 Bold Venture Stakes (G3), the Robert Tiller trainee rushed to finish fourth but was subsequently declared a non-starter by stewards, who deemed he got off to an unfair start.
Pink Lloyd was riding a five-race win streak into the Bold Venture and was back on top Saturday in the CA$198,100 (US$148,933) Kennedy Road, a race he also won in 2017. The son of Old Forester and da Silva broke from post 5 as the 3-5 favorites. They were initially near the back of the eight-horse field, and da Silva took his mount back to seventh. Richiesinthehouse, who was fractious in the gate, shot to the front from Pink Lloyd's inside and set quarter-mile fractions of :22.61 and :45.21 in the six-furlong sprint.
Da Silva asked Pink Lloyd to go on the turn for home, and the chestnut showed no hesitation moving to the far outside path and taking off down the stretch. The gelding was 1 1/4 lengths in front when he hit the wire in 1:08.72. The Tapeta course was labeled fast.
Extravagant Kid, Malibu Secret, Dixie's Gamble, Reconfigure, Richiesinthehouse, Eskiminzin, and O'Kratos completed the order of finish.
Pink Lloyd has the six-furlong course record of 1:08.05, which he set in the 2018 Jacques Cartier Stakes.
The Kennedy Road score only touts Pink Lloyd's already impressive record. From 28 starts, all at Woodbine, the gelding has won 22 times and finished second and third once apiece. He's earned a cool US$1,326,455 and is 17-for-18 at the six-furlong distance, with one second-place finish. Pink Lloyd was also named Canada's Horse of the Year, champion male sprinter, and champion older horse in 2017, recaptured the male sprinter title in 2018, and will be up for additional Sovereign Awards for his 2019 efforts.
"This all boils down to teamwork," Tiller said. "There'll never be another one like this horse. My owners have been terrific. They were willing to wait. I felt after his last race he needed a rest, he got it, and we had a couple interruptions in between.
"They were very hard on my gray hair and made it even grayer," Tiller joked of the interruptions. "But, you know what, this is 19 stakes out of 22 wins, so that's pretty amazing. … And it seems like it ain't over yet. We're really blessed to have him."
The success is far beyond what Pink Lloyd's price tag suggested. He sold for US$28,446 at the 2013 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Association (Ontario Division) Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale. Breeder John Carey consigned the future star.
Pink Lloyd is out of the stakes-placed Great Gladiator mare Gladiator Queen, who has produced four winners from five foals to race and hails from the same family as Fatal Bullet, another Horse of the Year and champion sprinter in Canada. Gladiator Queen is the dam of a yearling full brother to Pink Lloyd and is back in foal to Old Forester.
While Pink Lloyd is da Silva's top mount, the jockey has also ridden graded stakes-winning millionaires Melmich, Up With the Birds, and Fatal Bullet. He also guided El Tormenta to a 44-1 upset score in the Sept. 14 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) over Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) heroine Got Stormy.