NEWS
Grade 1 winner and Canadian champion Cloudy’s Knight retired
Posted: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 5:16 PM
CLOUDY'S KNIGHT
Michael Burns photo
by Mike Curry
Accomplished veteran stayer and crowd favorite Cloudy’s Knight has been retired after a right front suspensory injury flared up while he was preparing for the Sycamore Stakes (G3) on Thursday at Keeneland Race Course.
The ten-year-old Lord Avie gelding had a chance to become the oldest career graded stakes winner in the Sycamore after finishing second in the Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes (G3) in September at Kentucky Downs in his only start this season.
Cloudy’s Knight was slated to have his final workout for the Sycamore on Monday, but Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard said he was told the suspensory injury flared up again following a strong gallop on Sunday at his farm.
“It’s sad, but he’s had a great run,” Sheppard said. “It was kind of a longshot bringing him back at this age this spring, but we almost pulled it off. He did come back and run one nice race. That’s the way it goes. It’s better to have it happen quietly on the farm than in a race, and he’s actually still sound.”
Frank Kirby trained Cloudy’s Knight for his first six seasons, which included his 2007 Sovereign Award-winning campaign as Canada’s champion turf male. He won that year’s Pattison Canadian International Stakes (Can-G1) and Sky Classic Stakes (Can-G2) among three wins from nine starts.
He was sidelined for more than a year with a tendon injury to a hind limb and came back under the guidance of Sheppard in 2009. Sheppard, on the suggestion of owner S J Stables’ veterinarian, used a European-style training regimen to prepare his new charge for a possible return to racing, and he came back in style with a 2 1/2-length win in the 2009 edition of the Kentucky Cup Turf. He followed with a win in last year’s Sycamore and a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon before closing his nine-year-old season with clear victories in December in the Valedictory Stakes at Woodbine and W. L. McKnight Handicap (G2) at Calder Race Course.
He was sidelined again in the spring with the right front suspensory injury, but he came back to finish second in this year’s Kentucky Cup Turf in his final career start.
Cloudy’s Knight won 14 of 42 career starts and earned $2,547,835 in eight seasons for Jerrold Schwartz, who bred him in Kentucky and raced him as S J Stables. He won nine stakes during his career, including six graded races.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
READER COMMENTS
|
|
|
Posted by: Heather, Lexington, KY on October 20, 2010 at 11:56 AM
Thank you, Cloudy's Knight,for all the wonderful memories.You are an true inspiration. Your heart and courage shone brightly in the 2009 BC Marathon. Thanks to all Cloudy's connections for taking such wonderful care him. He will be greatly missed. Enjoy your retirement, sweet boy, you've earned it!!!!!
Report Abuse 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Elizabeth, Oxford Mills, ON on October 20, 2010 at 08:00 AM
Cloudy's Knight was definitely one of my all time favourites and I will miss seeing him. He was carefully managed and wonderfully cared for. Congratulations to all his connections and thanks for setting such a great example. Does he have retirement plans?
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Paula, Frankfort, KY on October 19, 2010 at 07:11 PM
What a super star! And yes, who can forget that valiant 2nd (almost a winner) in the 2009 edition of the BC Marathon.
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: DBH, Schenectady, NY on October 19, 2010 at 06:54 PM
Who can ever forget that Breeders Cup race ?
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Giacomo, West, TX on October 19, 2010 at 06:37 PM
Cloudy's Knight actually finished his 9 year old season with a win in the G2 W.L. McKnight Handicap (after the Breeders Cup & Valedictory races)...Cloudy had a remarkable career and his spectacular 9 YO season is something you may not see again for some time. Sheppard's training style and patience proved instrumental in his later success and is proof positive of the proper way an older horse should be managed and campaigned. Here's to a wonderful retirement for one classy and accomplished horse. Way to go Cloudy.
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
