Boyd Loving The Moment

One doesn't have to explain that the buying, selling and racing of horses is a game full of risk

. There are many instances where things just don't work out, but when they do, the experience is as satisfying as almost anything in professional sports. Right now trainer Rod Boyd is simply loving the moment with R Lil King.

The four-year-old Western Maverick gelding had made a very respectable showing of himself over Ontario's 'B' tracks over his two and three-year-old campaigns. Twenty-five starts, seven wins, five second-place finishes and five thirds --- good for a hard-earned $45,686 in purses banked in the province's conditioned ranks. The gelding had taken his mark in 1:57 over Grand River Raceway's 1:57 half-mile oval at three.

Successful, yet not a world beater on paper, R Lil King definitely caught the eye of some. In this case, the most important person that took notice of the bay was Peter Kyte, who recommended the gelding to horseman Rod Boyd.

"Pete's bought horses for me in the past and they've turned out well," Boyd told Trot Insider. "To tell you the truth, I really hadn't seen [R Lil King] race. On paper he showed some solid good miles in London (Western Fair Raceway). The way I see it now, the $10,000 I paid for him was not a bad deal at all. He's the best horse I've had to this point."

Boyd took over training duties on R Lil King in late-January/early-February. Relative mediocrity followed for the bay for a six-race span afterward. Miles over Flamboro Downs, Western Fair, Georgian Downs and Woodbine Racetrack produced speed, cheques and on-the-board finishes, but not what has been laid down since the R Lil King had to be scratched out of a race on April 13.

"The turning point with the horse was huge," Boyd explained. "One day my assistant trainer Wayne Dunn was with him and the horse was wobbling. I thought he was going to go down. He wasn't getting any air."

Boyd told Trot Insider that vets then discovered that R Lil King was suffering from a major infection to both glands. "I'm assuming that he had these issues all along throughout his career," he explained. "My vet didn't think he would race again. I didn't expect this horse to come back the way he has."

R Lil King got some solid paddock time from early in April until late May when he qualified in 1:55 over Flamboro, triumphant by 31 lengths. No surgery had been performed during the down time.

Since the qualifier, the gelding has had three narrow second-place finishes over Mohawk in a pair of non-winners classes. The miles were clocked in 1:54, 1:52 and 1:51.4.

If folks weren't believers prior to Monday, June 29 at the Campbellville oval, they should be now. Leaving from Post 6 over a tiring track, driver Phil Hudon rolled R Lil King on the engine and rebuffed a first-over attacker off opening fractions cut in :26.4 and :54.4. Free and easy on the lead, the gelding clicked off three quarters in 1:23 and sailed home in :28.4. The mile was a new life's best of 1:51.4.

"I didn't expect it at all," Boyd told Trot Insider. "Even though the qualifier was in [1:] 55, I wasn't hugely impressed. He was good afterward, too, but what he did last night was something else."

Boyd told Trot Insider that when R Lil King used to come off the track he'd usually "blow his head off." After his new life's mark, "no blowing, nothing," according to the conditioner.

Boyd explained to Trot Insider that the gland issue is something he will always have to keep on his radar, but in the meantime he is opting to bask in a little bit of glory.

"I've already had offers on the horse, but right now I'm sitting back and enjoying things."

The horseman has indicated that R Lil King will be back racing at Mohawk on Monday, July 6.