TORONTO, July 2, 2026 – Poulin in O T will take on six rivals in the $100,000 Pink Lloyd Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine. Multiple graded stakes winning trainer Steve Owens will look to net his 21st career stakes victory in the Pink Lloyd, a 6-furlong main track race for Ontario-sired 4-year-olds and up, with his multiple stakes winner Poulin in O T. A son of Reload out of the Dance Brightly mare Town Dance, the 6-year-old gelding has been a model of consistency over a 22-race career that has produced an 8-2-6 mark, along with $425,976 in purse earnings. Poulin in O T and jockey Pietro Moran winning Race 8 on April 27, 2025 at Woodbine (Michael Burns Photo) Owens lauded the resilient chestnut, who was sent to the sidelines last May after a second-place finish in a 7-furlong conditioned allowance race at Woodbine. “We operated on a chip that he had in his ankle, took it out, and gave him eight months off before taking him to Gulfstream to prepare him for this year,” said the conditioner, who owns and co-bred Poulin in O T. That patience paid off with a confident starter allowance score in his return this March at the Hallandale oval that earned him an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. “He was training really well heading into that comeback race,” said Owens. “He loves the Tapeta at Gulfstream and showed it in his return to racing. After eight months of training, giving him the proper time to heal and giving him the care he needed, it was great to see him back in the winner’s circle. He deserved it. “Some horses of his age – he’s gone through two surgeries in his career – you have to stop with them. But he’s never taken a step back since the ankle surgery. We monitor him daily and he’s been thriving.” Poulin in O T returned to Woodbine for his next start, on May 3, and finished third in the Thorncliffe Stakes, a 5 ½-furlong fixture contested on the main track. “I felt it was a good race,” said Owens. “I thought I had him too a little too weighty. That was my fault, coming from Gulfstream back to here, so we made a few adjustments and he’s thicker and more aerodynamic now.” The Ontario-bred debuted on June 24, 2022, and romped to a 5 ¼-length win in a 4 ½ furlong main track race. He then stepped up to the stakes ranks on July 17, facing five rivals in the 5 ½ furlong Victoria Stakes. Sent off at 3-1, he recorded a 3 ¼-length triumph in a time of 1:04.71. He went 4-1-0 from six starts in his rookie campaign, which led to Sovereign finalist recognition in the Champion Two-Year-Old Male category. “It was such a great year for him,” praised Owens. “He just fought tooth and nail each race and really established himself as a top-notch sprinter.” The Pink Lloyd will mark his 12th stakes appearance. “We have been waiting for this one,” said Owens. “We probably could have run him in other races that were offered here, but this race was our goal all along.” Owens and his partner, fellow trainer Tara Neigel, handle most of the groom-related work with Poulin in O T. “Tara and I take pride in taking care of our horses. I have known this horse since he was born, and I have made it my responsibility to take care of him on a daily basis. Our groom, Ricky, does a great job. We hand this horse off to him when we take him over on race day.” Recent works: Poulin in O T posted a trio of bullet works ahead of the Pink Lloyd. On June 21, he covered 4 furlongs in :46.40 over the main track and duplicated that time one week later. “He does lots and lots of jogging, miles during the week, so we can keep him happy and sound. He puts a lot of energy into his actual works. His last three works are all well within his scope. He’s a very steady presence in the mornings, where he goes out and is focused and determined. We’re very happy with the last three works.” Fast Facts: Sprint superstar Pink Lloyd won 29 of 38 starts and earned $1,884,584 in earnings under the tutelage of Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller. Bred in Ontario by John Carey and owned by Entourage Stable, Jr., the gelding’s first major triumph came early in 2017 when he captured the Jacques Cartier Stakes, a race he would win three more times. It would be the start of 26 career stakes wins, all at Woodbine. His perfect season of eight stakes scores garnered him Sovereign Awards as Champion Older Horse, Outstanding Sprinter and Horse of the Year. Over the course of the next four years, he earned five more Sovereigns. Following his retirement from the track, Pink Lloyd’s connections donated him to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, where he remains a popular draw with those who visit its farm in Hillsburgh, ON. The race is part of Ontario Racing’s (TIP) Ontario Sires Stakes Program. https://tip.ontarioracing.com/tip-stakes-program/ Wagering menu for the Pink Lloyd: Rolling Double / Exacta / 0.20 Trifecta / 0.20 Superfecta / 0.20 Pick 3 (Races 8-9-10) / 0.20 Pick 5 (Races 8-9-10-11-12) / $1 Swinger Field for the $100,000 Pink Lloyd Stakes Horse – Post – Jockey – Trainer 1 – Awesome Bourbon – Romero Ramsay Maragh – Abraham Katryan 2 – Paynes Spirit – Emma-Jayne Wlson – Julia Carey 3 – Souped Up – Rafael Hernandez – Ron Sadler 4 – Poulin in O T – Ryan Munger – Steve Owens 5 – Light the Lamp – Pietro Moran – Don MacRae 6 – Summer Commander – Fraser Aebly – Stuart Simon 7 – Go Kart Mozart – Eswan Flores – Robert Tiller -30- Chris Lomon, Woodbine Share This:Share
