Locals top Canadian, Bold Venture

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—The Canadian champions Starship Jubilee and Pink Lloyd will take center stage on the Woodbine Mile undercard Saturday.

Starship Jubilee, the Sovereign Award-winning female grass runner in each of the past two years, will try to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Canadian for the second year in a row. Pink Lloyd will try to win the Grade 3, $125,000 Bold Venture for the first time.

Starship Jubilee is winless in her last three outings, but was competitive on each occasion. Trainer Kevin Attard said she ran her usual good race last time when a close third in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga. The Ballston Spa was at 1 1/16 miles, and Attard thinks the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Canadian might help Starship Jubilee.

“I thought there’d be more pace, and she’d be a little more forwardly placed, but it didn’t work out that way,” he said of the Ballston Spa. “A mile and an eighth is a good distance for her. She can be a little closer.”

Seven fillies and mares will line up in the Canadian.

CANADIAN STAKES

Starship Jubilee, by Indy Wind Last 3 Beyers: 92-93-94

◗ She worked nicely on the main turf here last Saturday, going a half-mile in 47.40 seconds before a strong gallopout.

Holy Helena, by Ghostzapper Last 3 Beyers: 95-92-95

◗ The 2017 Queen’s Plate winner, she defeated Starship Jubilee in her last race, the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at 1 1/4 miles here June 29. She got a summer freshening, with a fall campaign in mind, and is using the Canadian as a springboard to the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor here Oct. 12.

Competitionofideas, by Speightstown Last 3 Beyers: 96-93-98

◗ After back-to-back neck losses in the Grade 2 New York at Belmont and the Grade 3 Matchmaker at Monmouth, the Chad Brown-trained 4-year-old rallied from left field for third in the Grade 1 Beverly D. on Aug. 10 at Arlington.

BOLD VENTURE STAKES

Among all his accomplishments, two-time Canadian champion male sprinter Pink Lloyd has never won the Grade 3 Bold Venture. He should be a short price in Saturday’s renewal of the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which drew a field of seven 3-year-olds and up

Pink Lloyd notched his fifth consecutive stakes win Aug. 28 when taking the six-furlong Kenora for the third year in a row. His final time of 1:08.28 was just .23 of a second off his own synthetic-track record, and he got a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“This was his best performance in that race by a mile,” trainer Robert Tiller said. “He could have broken the track record. [Eurico Da Silva] eased up on him the last part. He’s just remarkable.”

Yorkton won last year’s Bold Venture in a blowout while leaving Pink Lloyd in his wake, and will try to do the same Saturday. He is winless in five starts since that race.

“We changed riders to Patrick Husbands on him,” said Robert Landry, owner Chiefswood Stable’s general manager. “He’s trained well into this race. Patrick has worked him three times, and he really likes him.”