November 27, 2021 “Come on, you raver, you seer of visions. Come on, you painter, you piper, you prisoner and shine! “ From “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” by Pink Floyd. And on Saturday, Pink Lloyd shone, against all odds. There were tears, for sure. Happy ones. Ones with mixed emotions, too. Pink Lloyd wrought a storybook ending to his long tale on … [Read more...] about Pink Lloyd: The Crazy Diamond
Pink Lloyd
A Crusty Old Fellow, Still Loved
Pink Lloyd is 9-years-old now. There was talk of retiring him at the end of his eighth year. But no. Here he is, at Woodbine, the only place he has ever raced, back in his stall close to trainer Bob Tiller’s office. It is as if he is best at Tiller’s hip, his horse for the Charge of the Light Brigade. At nine, Pinkie still has it in him, that fire. You could see it in … [Read more...] about A Crusty Old Fellow, Still Loved
Queen’s Plate or bust
We’ve waited a long time for this 161st running of the Queen’s Plate, as in an extra three months or so, but finally we have the clues as to what it will look like. Aside from fences instead of spectators, sanitizer stations instead of Timbits, and barely familiar faces wrapped in all manner of masks, Woodbine and its premier $1-million race looks like a close … [Read more...] about Queen’s Plate or bust
The remarkable Pink Lloyd
The most remarkable thing about Pinkie (aka Pink Lloyd) is that his best days may still be ahead of him. The quirky chestnut 7-year-old just notched the 16th stakes win of his career when he overwhelmed a field in the $150,000 Vigil Stakes at Woodbine on July 14, winning by 4 ½ lengths, his ears pricked, happy as a clam in a pool. The Equibase charts noted that he … [Read more...] about The remarkable Pink Lloyd
Woodbine Mile: Running Shoes Needed
Woodbine was giving away $1,575,000 in purse money on Woodbine Mile day, enough to attract horses that had run in Britain, France, Germany and the United States. They came all that way, only to find some Canadian horses had tied their racing slippers on and just wouldn’t give in. Northern Dancer would have approved. The Dancer raced the last start of his … [Read more...] about Woodbine Mile: Running Shoes Needed
Pinkie’s Redemption
Sighs of relief all around. After his first loss in 12 starts, Pink Lloyd slinked back to his barn a few weeks ago. Bob Tiller said he knew that first loss would happen sometime. He even thought of scratching Pinkie, as he's known in the barracks, from the Vigil Stakes at Woodbine last Sunday. But the rangy chestnut was feeling so bouncy, Tiller entered him. A little bit … [Read more...] about Pinkie’s Redemption