PINK LLOYD (Eight-year-old chestnut gelding) Owner: Entourage Stable // Trainer: Robert Tiller // Current Jockey: Rafael Hernandez Assistant Trainer: Tom Lottridge // Groom: Michelle Gibson Breeder: John Carey (Ontario) // Foaled: February 23, 2012 // Sire-Dam: Old Forester-Gladiator Queen (by Great Gladiator) Yearling Purchase Price: $30,000 at the 2013 CTHS Canadian-Bred Yearling Sale Career Summary: 22-1-1 from 27 starts // Career Earnings: $1,731,830 *** A name with star power: The Entourage Stable is comprised of a group of five friends including longtime racehorse owner Frank Di Giulio Jr. Co-owner Ed Longo is credited for Pink Lloyd’s name, which is inspired by the classic rock band Pink Floyd and the character Lloyd from the HBO television series Entourage. Multiple award winner: Pink Lloyd was voted Canada’s 2017 Horse of the Year at the Sovereign Awards as well as Champion Older Male and Champion Male Sprinter after a perfect eight-for-eight campaign (all stakes). He was named Champion Male Sprinter for the second time in 2018 after earning five stakes wins from eight starts. He was named Champion Male Sprinter for the third consecutive year in 2019 and Champion Older Dirt Male after going six-for-six in stakes action (he was declared a non-starter in the Grade 3 Bold Venture). Track record holder: Pink Lloyd set the Woodbine track record for six furlongs on the Tapeta in his six-year-old debut, winning the Jacques Cartier Stakes in 1:08.05 on April 21, 2018 with jockey Rafael Hernandez subbing in for regular reinsman Eurico Rosa Da Silva. The former record of 1:08.16 was set by Essence Hit Man on April 17, 2011. Pink Lloyd earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 106, which is one of 11 times in his career that he’s topped the 100 mark. Unprecedented win streak: Pink Lloyd won 11 consecutive stakes races between April 15, 2017 to June 3, 2018. Stakes success: Pink Lloyd has won 19 stakes races in his career, including six graded stakes. He has won the Jacques Cartier Stakes three times in a row, tying Essence Hit Man (2011-2013) for the record. He’s also won the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes and Kenora Stakes a record three times each; the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes (record-tying), Achievement Stakes (record-tying), New Providence Stakes and Shepperton Stakes two times; and the Overskate Stakes and Greenwood Stakes one time. Pink Lloyd’s partners: Eurico Rosa Da Silva, who retired at the end of 2019, has guided Pink Lloyd to all of his stakes wins except the 2018 Jacques Cartier Stakes when he was serving a short riding suspension. Rafael Hernandez was aboard for that track record-setting victory and will be reunited with Pink Lloyd for his 2020 debut in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes on Thursday. Hernandez has competed against Pink Lloyd in 20 starts. Luis Contreras also partnered with Pink Lloyd for his first four starts in 2016, including three non-stakes wins (maiden and allowance races at Woodbine), and then Patrick Husbands took over for one start to conclude his debut season finishing second in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes. The bettors’ choice: Pink Lloyd has been the favourite in all but three of his early career starts. His highest odds were 7-1 in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes in 2016 when he finished second, one length behind the favoured Stacked Deck and Rafael Hernandez. Pink Lloyd’s biggest win payout was $10.60 as the 4-1 second choice to Stacked Deck and Hernandez (fourth) in his next start competing in his first Jacques Cartier Stakes in 2017. He’s been the bettors’ choice since. A heavyweight champion: Pink Lloyd has been assigned the top weight in all but three races early in his career. He’s carried as much as eight pounds more than rivals on three occasions. Pink Lloyd carried an average of 125 pounds per race last year and an average of 123 pounds per race throughout his career. He overcame a field high weight of 127 pounds in three starts last year. The most weight he has been assigned was 128 pounds in the Grade 3 Bold Venture Stakes last September, but he was declared a non-starter in that race for breaking through the starting gate early. Winning margins: Pink Lloyd’s biggest winning margin was 6-1/4 lengths in the New Providence Stakes on May 13, 2018. Pink Lloyd’s smallest winning margin was a neck in the Kenora Stakes on August 29, 2018 ahead of (former) fellow Robert Tiller trainee Circle of Friends. He won his six races last year by a combined 18 lengths. Field sizes: Pink Lloyd has faced fields averaging seven in size during his career. He’s successfully competed in a field as big as 12 horses when winning last year’s Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes. Often scaring away the competition, Pink Lloyd has competed in fields as small as four horses (three times). Last call: Pink Lloyd likes to compete and chase down horses so much that he has to train alone in the mornings so he doesn’t take too much out of himself. He heads out to the training track just before it closes and stands trackside waiting for the quietest time before beginning his solo session. Share This:Share
