Pink Lloyd Continues Streak With Bold Venture Score

Entourage Stable's superstar Pink Lloyd claimed an elusive Bold Venture Stakes (G3) crown Aug. 15 in his third attempt, earning his 25th win during a stakes-filled card at Woodbine. 

A multiple Sovereign Award winner and 22-time stakes winner, the 8-year-old son of Old Forester finished fifth in the 2018 running of the 6 1/2-furlong sprint and was declared a non-starter in the 2019 edition when he broke through the starting gate early.

The 128-pound highweight in a race worth CA$140,750 (US$106,091), Pink Lloyd ventured boldly between the frontrunning foes to add a new feat to his impressive résumé.  

With Rafael Hernandez aboard, the Robert Tiller trainee settled behind pacesetters Roaring Forties and Malibu Secret through opening fractions of :23.22 and :45.60 before splitting those rivals down the lane, then holding off a late charge from Olympic Runner to win by a neck. Malibu Secret was 3 1/4 lengths back in third.

The final time was 1:16.03.

"This is the first time I've had to ask him," Hernandez said. "He broke well, there was no pace in the race, so I had to play it by ear, put him behind a horse. … Those other two horses made the pace, and I just sat behind them and waited for the time to push the button.

"I don't want to be in the front. That's why I tried keeping him outside, get him relaxed and settled down, and he did it. He settled down, sat behind the two horses that made the pace, and just waited to turn for home."

While it was the first Bold Venture victory for Pink Lloyd, Tiller earned his third title. The Hall of Fame horseman first won the event in 1977 with Pres de Tu and again in 2006 courtesy of Are You Serious. 

"He made up for me because I won the race (43) years ago at the old Greenwood Racetrack with a horse called Pres de Tu, so I really wanted to see him win it," Tiller said. "He's done everything, he keeps doing everything. He overcame a bad trip today for him—he loves to run at horses, not be squeezed in between horses—and I think he kind of thought it was over, and that horse that come running, run a big race, so we win again.

"I'm in this game a long time, and there will never be another horse like him. Honestly, he doesn't like the heat, and he was kind of flat today. … He really wasn't as sharp as he can get. When you go to put the weight on this horse in the paddock and that big lead weight pad gets on him, you realize what kind of a horse this is. He's an icon. I just love him to death, I really do."

Pink Lloyd remains undefeated in three starts this year with victories in the June 25 Jacques Cartier Stakes (G3), July 23 Shepperton Stakes, and the Bold Venture. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, he returned $3.20 on a $2 win ticket. 

Bred in Ontario by John Carey out of the Great Gladiator mare Gladiator Queen, Pink Lloyd improved his record to 25-1-1 from 31 starts with earnings of nearly CA$2 million. 

"He's 8 years old, these are 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds, and he just keeps doing it and doing it," Tiller said. "I just cannot believe a horse could stay this good in every season of the year and keep winning. He's a blessing."

Video: Bold Venture S. (G3)