Pink Lloyd Powers Home to Third Shepperton Score

The incomparable Pink Lloyd deployed his usual tactics, powering past the competition in the stretch to add more hardware to his collection as he won the 45th edition of the CA$100,000 (US$74,526) Shepperton Stakes July 23 at Woodbine.

Winning his third Shepperton title, Pink Lloyd tied Paso Doble with the most wins in the main track stakes, which has been run at a distance of 6 1/2 furlongs for all but two editions.

The Robert Tiller trainee also won this race in 2017 and 2019 and finished third in 2018. Paso Doble took the 2011, 2013, and 2014 events.

Canada's reigning three-time champion male sprinter stalked the leaders along the rail before jockey Rafael Hernandez maneuvered him outside in the stretch and took off.

Stopping the clock in 1:16.44 nearly two lengths in front, Pink Lloyd, the 128-pound highweight, paid $2.60 to win as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite in the six-horse field. There was no place or show wagering.

Early trailer Silent Jimmie chased the champion home and got up for second just ahead of the frontrunners, Dun Drum and Not So Quiet, who set fractions of :23.25 and :45.88. Magical Man and Souper Success completed the order of finish.

"He's got the heart and desire to be probably the best sprinter in Canada the last 50 years," said Tiller, who has won the Shepperton a record six times. "He is amazing. He was in trouble all the way. We got the box trip with the 1 hole, and it worked out well. Rafii waited and waited.

"We're very proud of him, and I love him dearly."

Bred by John Carey and owned by Entourage Stable, the 8-year-old Ontario-bred son of Old Forester  now has 24 wins from 30 starts and has US$1.44 million in earnings.

It was the 21st stakes win for Pink Lloyd, who had an 11-race winning streak in stakes from 2017-18. His current streak is eight after going 6-for-6 in 2019 and winning a record fourth Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3) in his season debut June 25.

"Last time, he gave me a little hard time—he had to work hard to get there—but after the race, I told Bob, 'Now he's ready 100%,'" Hernandez said. "He showed up today. He just broke out of the gate, sat behind good, and he just did the best thing he knows how to do. … He just switched the lead in the stretch and 'Let's go.'

"He knows how to do it. He knows how to win."

And so does Hernandez, who is the leading rider at the 2020 Woodbine meet and won half of Thursday's eight races.