Treason tops in Eclipse (G2) / Rockcrest all heart in Pink Lloyd Stakes

TORONTO, June 4, 2023 – Lightly-raced Treason put in a polished performance to take the $175,000 Eclipse Stakes Presented by Don Julio (G2) on Sunday afternoon at Woodbine.

Making his first start since a fourth in last November’s Autumn Stakes (G2), the 5-year-old son of Constitution looked in mid-season form after a huge off-the-shelf effort in the 1 1/16-mile race for 4-year-olds and up.

Multiple stakes winner War Bomber (IRE) and multiple graded stakes placed Wolfie’s Dynaghost tussled for early control of the Eclipse as Kazushi Kimura, aboard Treason, kept his charge unfettered just outside of the frontrunners through an opening quarter-mile reached in :24.80.

The lead pair continued their head-to-head battle into the half in :48,74, while Treason continued to watch the proceedings from in third. Kimura then roused the gelding for his best run into the turn for home and the Josie Carroll trainee responded with an explosive turn of foot to assume control.

Carrothers came calling in mid-stretch, but Treason was unrattled and went on to record a 1 ½-length win in a time of 1:43.09. Tyson, also trained by Carroll, finished third, while Artie’s Storm, last year’s Eclipse victor, rallied to finish fourth.

Kimura, off to another strong start at Woodbine, made the most of his first opportunity to partner the bay owned by LNJ Foxwoods and MSK Racing Ventures.

“He’s a natural speed horse, that’s why when I get on him in the morning, I just try and take it easy. Today, he was really comfortable beside the horse in the backstretch. Everything was going smooth. I was just trying to make sure to stay with Johnny’s [Velazquez] horse [Wolfie’s Dynaghost], but he really exploded and picked it up really quick from the three-eighths.”

For Carroll, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2019, it was a rewarding result for a horse she had high hopes for early on in his career.

“When people ask you about what makes you successful with horses, I say patient owners, owners that give you the opportunity to let their horses develop and do what they can do. I knew that this horse had a little bit higher cruising speed than my other horse [Tyson], but they were both going to be right there. Treason is just a good horse. We thought he was a good horse from the beginning, and he really proved himself today.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, it was the first stakes win for Treason ($14.60), now 3-0-0 from seven starts.

Wolfie’s Dynaghost, the 4-5 choice, was fifth, followed by Conglomerate, War Bomber (IRE), Rondure, Avoman, Bringer of Rain, and Luckman.

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In other Sunday stakes action, Rockcrest rumbled away from his rivals down the lane to take the $100,000 Pink Lloyd Stakes.

Rockcrest, sent off at 6-1 in the six-furlong Tapeta race for Ontario-sired 4-year-olds and up, got away quickly and took his 10 rivals through early splits of :23.46 and :45.53. Keveh Nicholls and the 6-year-old son of Old Forester (Pink Lloyd’s sire) then opened up a sizable advantage at the top of the stretch and easily fended off 6-5 choice Candy Overload for the two-length win.

The final time was 1:09.68.

Candy Overload, Last American Exit, Reload’s Rascal, Miss Speedy, Mason’s Gamble, Poseidon Steel, Dun Drum, Forester’s Fortune, Secret Reserve and Bossy Holiday rounded out the field. Commander Joe and Maakwa were scratched.

“Once he left there running, he got the lead easy,” said Nicholls, who celebrated his first Woodbine stakes win. “There was no one around to really pressure. He was really relaxed, and I was smiling from there.”

Owned and trained by Nigel Burke, Rockcrest, who won a 5 ½-furlong Tapeta race on April 29 prior to the Pink Lloyd, is now 6-5-0 from 25 starts.

“The feeling is indescribable because he makes me feel like I could compete with the big boys being from a small operation,” said an emotional Burke, who saddled Rockcrest to victory in the 2019 Simcoe Stakes. “As you saw, he puts his heart out on the table all the time and that’s all I could ask of him. I did promise that if I ever made it across again to this green horseshoe – you guys gave me a lot of credit for Rockcrest – that I would thank Dylan Dunn, his exercise rider, who has done a tremendous job with him. His groom, Brian, too. You couldn’t ask for a better team behind him. It’s a team thing.”

Bred by Northern Dawn Stables, the gelding was a $13,170 (U.S.) purchase at the 2018 CTHS (Ontario Division) Canadian-bred Yearling Sale.

Rockcrest paid $14.80 for the win.

The race, previously known as the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes, is named after one of Canada’s greatest all-time sprinters. Bred in Ontario in 2012, sprint superstar Pink Lloyd won 29 of 38 starts and earned $2.4 million (CDN) under the tutelage of Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller.

Bred by John Carey and owned by Entourage Stable, Jr., Pink Lloyd was recently inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Following his retirement from the track, his connections donated him to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, where he continues to be a popular draw with racing fans who visit their farm.

Chris Lomon, Woodbine Communications / @WoodbineComms