Vigil Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Souper Stonehenge Super Again In Vigil At Woodbine

For the second time in two races, Souper Stonehenge got the better of Pink Lloyd, taking the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario. Souper Stonehenge had ended Pink Lloyd's run of consecutive victories in the Jacques Cartier in their last meeting and got the better of the Sovereign Award-winning sprinter again Sunday.

Trained by Mark Casse, Souper Stonehenge took the lead early in the six-furlong sprint, striding out to lead by a length over Green Light Go and Not So Quiet, with Pink Lloyd sitting back in fifth. Around the race's only turn, Pink Lloyd got shuffled back to last as Green Light Go tired, Rafael Hernandez taking the 9-year-old gelding between horses as they entered the stretch. Souper Stonehenge maintained an easy lead throughout, but Patrick Husbands saw that advantage shrinking as Pink Lloyd made his run down the center of the track.

Souper Stonehenge's lead was too much for four-time Vigil winner Pink Lloyd, though, as the Live Oak gelding was three-quarters of a length in front at the wire. The final time for the G3 Vigil was 1:09.52. Not So Quiet was third, with Cash Dividend, Embolden, and Green Light Go rounding out the order of finish.

Find this race's chart here.

Souper Stonehenge paid $2.70, $2.10, and $2.10. Pink Lloyd paid $2.70 and $2.10. Not So Quiet paid $2.80 to show.

Bred in Florida by owner Live Oak Plantation, Souper Stonehenge is a 5-year-old gelding by Speightstown out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Onepointhreecarats. With his win in the G3 Vigil, Souper Stonehenge 2-1-1 in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 16 starts and career earnings of $343,705.

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Fourth Win In Vigil Pushes Canadian Icon Pink Lloyd Over $2-Million Mark

Canadian racing icon Pink Lloyd took the biggest slice of the pie and boosted his cash stash past the $2-million mark in career earnings with another winning effort in Grade 3 Vigil Stakes on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

Trained by Canadian Hall of Famer Robert Tiller, Pink Lloyd nearly matched his own track record on the Tapeta, sprinting six furlongs in 1:08.06. He came within one hundredth of a second of his mark while carrying 128 pounds.

Track announcer Robert Geller called it one of the best starts of his career as the popular chestnut gelding broke well from post seven with a head in front early. He settled into stalking position behind a quartet of early leavers before making his winning move on the final turn for Rafael Hernandez.

Pink Lloyd rallied home a clear winner with Olympic Runner, who finished a neck back in their last Grade 3 Bold Venture match-up, closing from the backfield for the runner-up honors once again.

City Boy, among the dueling front-runners through early fractions of :21.97 and :43.92, finished 1-1/2 lengths behind in third and just a half-length in front of Eskiminzin, Malibu Secret, Blind Ambition and Roaring Forties. Silent Jimmie and Not So Quiet completed the order of finish.

“He's so dear to my heart. We believe in him so much,” said Tiller, though admitting he was the most nervous he's been in a long time today. “He's going to get two months off now and he deserves it. We'll be back in the fall.”

Bred in Ontario by John Carey and owned by Entourage Stable, the gelded son of Old Forester is now four-for-four during his eight-year-old campaign and has won 26 of his 31 starts lifetime.

He previously reeled off 11 consecutive victories from 2017 into 2018, and is currently riding a 10-race win streak following a perfect season in 2019.

The newly minted double millionaire boasts a record four Vigil Stakes victories, six Sovereign Awards, and a total of 23 stakes wins among his accomplishments. Taking the $90,000 winner's share of the purse, he now has $2,066,330 in career earnings.

“I don't think you're going to find another horse like him again. He's a Canadian racing icon,” said Tiller. “This is a true, true champion. And I've said it many times, I just love him to death and he just keeps amazing me.”

Send postward as the 4-5 favourite, Pink Lloyd paid $3.80 to win.

Live Thoroughbred racing continues this long weekend at Woodbine, with post time set for 1 p.m. on both Sunday and Labour Day Monday.

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‘Never Be Another One Like Him’: Pink Lloyd Could Surpass $2 Million Mark In Vigil Stakes

Multiple graded stakes winner and 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year, eight-year-old Pink Lloyd, faces eight rivals in the $125,000 Vigil Stakes (Grade 3), Saturday at Woodbine.

Sovereign Award winner and 22-time stakes champion Pink Lloyd chases another stakes crown in a race he has owned the past three years. Trained by Robert Tiller for Entourage Stable, the eight-year-old gelded son of Old Forester goes after his fourth consecutive Vigil score.

The chestnut, bred by John Carey, has rhymed off a perfect three straight victories this season, his latest tour de force coming in the Bold Venture (G3) on August 15.

Pink Lloyd launched his current campaign with a triumph in the Jacques Cartier (G3) on June 25. That was followed by a win in the Shepperton Stakes on July 23.

Riding a nine-race win streak, the Ontario-bred could go double platinum in earnings with a first or second-place finish in the Vigil.

Tiller, who would love to see Pink Lloyd reach the $2 million (CDN) mark in career purse earnings this Saturday, is keeping his focus strictly on the race itself.

“I try not to think about things like that,” said the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee. “I've reached the point where if I start thinking about winning another race with him, or any other accomplishment… we just try to keep carrying on and what will be will be. Thank God I have enough horses in the barn to keep my mind occupied. Winning another race with Pink Lloyd… we just try to our best with him. If we win, I'm thrilled, obviously. But I try to stay as grounded and focused as possible.”

Admittedly, it's not always an easy task.

But watching the multiple stakes champion make his way to the winner's circle is a scene that never gets old for Tiller.

“They'll never be another one like him, and they'll never be another one close to him. I'm always trying to come up with a new phrase or new way to talk about him. It's hard, but I'll think of something soon. He's just a phenomenal animal and athlete. He's amazingly perfect. The more he wins, the more you realize that.”

As does everyone who works with Tiller.

“The groom, the exercise rider, the hotwalkers – everybody loves him. No question. We're all very much in love with him.”

Win or lose this weekend, Pink Lloyd isn't ready to hang up his horseshoes for now.

“The party, it's still on,” said Tiller.

Trainer Mark Casse sends out the trio of Blind Ambition, Not So Quiet, and Olympic Runner. A four-year-old son of Gio Ponti, Olympic Runner finished second, just a neck back of Pink Lloyd in the Bold Venture.

Multiple stakes placed Silent Jimmie, bred, owned, and trained by Paul Buttigieg, was second to Pink Lloyd in the Shepperton.

Trainer Barb Minshall won three straight editions of the Vigil, two with Kiridashi (1996-97) and the other with Sea Wall (1995).

Post times for the Thoroughbred racing programs on Friday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 5 at Woodbine Racetrack have been shifted earlier to 12:50 p.m. ET. Sunday's first race post time will remain unchanged (1 p.m. ET).

The Vigil is slated as race nine on Saturday's 11-race card. First post time is 12:50 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIBet.com.

FIELD FOR THE GRADE 3 VIGIL STAKES
POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER
1 – Silent Jimmie – Daisuke Fukumoto – Paul Buttigieg

2 – City Boy – Davy Moran – Mike Keogh

3 – Not So Quiet – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

4 – Malibu Secret – Sahin Cavici – Martin Drexler

5 – Eskiminzin – Darryll Holland – Carlos Grant

6 – Olympic Runner – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

7 – Pink Lloyd – Rafael Hernandez – Robert Tiller

8 – Blind Ambition – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

9 – Roaring Forties – Justin Stein – Daniel Vella

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