Alicia Wincze is the turf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She started riding at age 8 and was a four-year member of the Pace University equestrian team.
Man of Iron edges Cloudy’s Knight in Marathon
Posted by Alicia Wincze on November 6, 2009
Sometimes there is no arguing with bloodlines. Man of Iron, a son of 2007 Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, outlasted the venerable Cloudy’s Knight by a nose in the final jump to capture the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon over 1 3/4-miles at Santa Anita Park.
Man of Iron is a half sibling to Jazil and Rags to Riches, who made Better Than Honour the only broodmare to produce back-to-back winners of the Belmont Stakes when they captured the final leg of the Triple Crown in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Owned by the Coolmore Stud partnership of Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, Man of Iron entered the Marathon off a 3 1/2 length victory in the Racing Post Race over 1 5/16-miles at Dundalk on October 16. As Cloudy’s Knight surged up approaching the final turn to take over the lead from Black Astor, Man of Iron - a 3-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway - advanced just behind eventual third-place finisher Mastery around the final turn before angling toward the rail and putting in a determined rally under Johnny Murtagh to just get up over the 9-year-old Cloudy’s Knight.
Final time for the distance was 2:54.11.
The win gives Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien his first victory in a Breeders’ Cup race since saddling champion High Chaparral to his second straight win in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2003.
“That was brilliant. We’re delighted,” O’Brien said. “Johnny gave him a wonderful ride. Johnny said that he was just going to take his time because that’s the way he likes to be ridden. That’s what he did. It was just a marvelous ride.”
Despite just losing the photo finish, the Marathon marked a remarkable effort for Cloudy’s Knight. The Lord Avie gelding was making only his third start this year after returning to the races in September after a year-long layoff due to a hind leg tendon injury.
“It all came together beautifully except for the last jump,” joked Jonathan Sheppard, trainer of Cloudy’s Knight.
Race favorite Mastery made a strong move to challenge Cloudy’s Knight coming off the turn but flattened out while running third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.
“He danced one too many dances this year,” jockey Frankie Dettori said of Mastery.
