News

Cloudy’s Knight, winner of the 2007 Canadian International Championship Stakes at Woodbine, finished second in the $454,500 Breeders’ Cup Marathon at 1 ¾ miles Friday.

Now a 9-year-old, Cloudy’s Knight lost by a nose to Man of Iron, a 3-year-old colt from the powerful Aidan O’Brien stable in Ireland.

Cloudy’s Knight was a regular at Woodbine in 2007, winning the Sky Classic Stakes and finishing second in the Nijinsky to Last Answer.

Mastery, the favourite, finished third.

Rosemary Homeister, aboard Cloudy’s Knight, was riding in her first Breeders’ Cup race. The chestnut gelding had raced only four times last year, never hitting the board. He scored two consecutive victories earlier this year, both on the grass.

“I just wanted him to get a clean trip,’’ said trainer Jonathan Sheppard.

Homeister said Sheppard had done a masterful job training a 9-year-old horse to a major Breeders’ Cup effort. She said the horse was very relaxed in the gate, and let her settle him into sixth place early. He pulled her into the lead effortlessly after 1 ¼ miles, and when Homeister asked him at the quarter pole, “he gave me everything he had.’’

She said Cloudy’s Knight accelerated late in the stretch when Mastery loomed up alongside him on the outside, but he didn’t notice Man of Iron on the rail soon enough.

If he had, Homeister said, he would have accelerated again. “He’s that aggressive,’’ she said. He wasn’t blowing hard after the marathon event.

Homeister said the two horses finished so close to each other at the wire, she looked at the other jockey (John Murtagh), but neither knew who had won.

She said she felt deflated when he finished second “after such a gallant effort.’’

“But the horse was still happy,’’ she said. “He still had his ears up.’’