Pink Lloyd nabs eighth straight win in Kennedy Road Stakes

By Christine Oser

After finishing second in the same race last year, Pink Lloyd returned to take the Grade 2, $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes Saturday at Woodbine. The 5-year-old gelding – and likely Canadian Horse of the Year – has now won eight consecutive stakes races during a perfect 2017 season.

“This is the biggest thrill of my training career,” said the chestnut’s conditioner, Robert Tiller.

Going six furlongs over the all weather track, Pink Lloyd broke well under jockey Eurico Da Silva. The 3-5 favorite sat in second behind Yorkton, with pressure coming behind from Sweet Grass Creek and Tombelaine. Yorkton led the field through steady fractions of :22.37 and :44.65 to open the first half-mile. Ikerrin Road, Majestic Slew, and Occasional View rounded out the field.

Pink Lloyd inched his way up as the turn for home approached. As he began to pull away, Ikerrin Road came running from the back to challenge the favorite, but Pink Lloyd seemed to relish the competition and dug in to stay in front. The final time was 1:08.46, with Pink Lloyd in front by 2 ¼ lengths.

“He just went on his own,” Da Silva said. “He’s a great horse and it’s been unbelievable, like a dream, to ride a horse like this.”

Ikerrin Road was second, followed by Majestic Slew, Occasional View, Sweet Grass Creek, Yorkton, and Tombelaine.

Pink Lloyd, who cost just over $28,000 as a yearling in Canada, has now made $512,636 for his owners, Entourage Stable. The Kennedy Road was his 11th win in 13 starts.

Tiller said Pink Lloyd was the first Canadian horse since Viceregal in 1968 to win seven stakes in a row, breaking that record in the Kennedy Road. The Canadian star also looks likely to run a 2018 campaign.

“He’s an icon,” Tiller said about Pink Lloyd. “He’s just a really good horse. He just likes to run by horses. I was afraid of Vito [Armata]’s horse [Ikerrin Road] today. He had a real good shot at him and he just shook him off.”