Cloudy 'rains' on Passion's parade in McKnight

Spice Route was the first to make his move, bursting past Presious Passion on

the final turn and seizing a daylight advantage. Meanwhile, Cloudy's Knight, who

had been reserved in midpack by Rosemary Homeister Jr., improved his position

and soon emerged as the only danger to Spice Route. Rallying boldly in deep

stretch, the old veteran mowed down Spice Route and pulled clear to finish 1 1/2

miles in 2:27 3/5 on the firm turf. Cloudy's Knight returned $13, $5.20 and

$3.80 as the 5-1 third choice.

"I keep learning about this horse every time I ride him," Homeister said,

"and the most important thing I've learned is to just let him run his race the

way he wants to. I wasn't so concerned about the favorite opening up on

the field the way he does, I was more concerned about the pace behind the

leader. It's important not to fight this horse. He's too professional at running

these long-distance races. You just have to sit and let him do his thing."

"He's a wonderful horse, and maybe a little lucky today with what the gray

horse (Livingston Street) did (to challenge favorite Presious Passion),"

Sheppard said.

Spice Route held second by a half-length from the late-running Winchester

(Theatrical [Ire]), paying $4.80 and $3.20 as the 5-1 fourth choice. Winchester,

who was sent off as the 3-1 second pick, yielded $3.20. The exotics totaled

$72.40 (exacta), $198.80 (trifecta) and $1,632.60 (9-4-1-7 superfecta) with the

31-1 shot Silver Mountain (Victory Gallop) another 4 3/4 lengths back in fourth.

Presious Passion faded to fifth, followed by Memorial Maniac (Lear Fan), New

Fandan (Brz) (Fantastic Dancer), Mr.Universo (Brz) (Roi Normand), Livingston

Street and Warning Zone (Chester House). Imawildandcrazyguy (Wild Event) was

scratched.

Presious Passion's connections both felt that Livingston Street proved to be

his undoing.

"When that horse came to us the first time at the wire, I was shocked because

we are usually out there by ourselves in front," said Elvis Trujillo, the

regular rider of Presious Passion. "When I realized what was happening, I got

concerned that it was going to cost us the race, and I believe it hurt our

chances a lot."

"He's fine," trainer Mary Hartmann said. "It certainly didn't help that the

gray horse (Livingston Street) was up there with him. He'll live to play another

day -- at Gulfstream."

Cloudy's Knight now sports a record of 41-14-9-4, $2,519,035. Victorious in

the John Henry S. at four and the Rossi Gold S. at five, the Kentucky-bred

chestnut developed into a Canadian turf champion during his seven-year-old

campaign in 2007. Then conditioned by Frank Kirby, Cloudy's Knight earned a

Sovereign Award after capturing the Canadian International S. (Can-G1), Sky

Classic S. (Can-G2) and Fair Grounds H. (G3). He also accumulated 10 stakes

placings for Kirby, notably the Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial H. (G2), Nijinsky

S. (Can-G2), River City H. (G3) and two runnings of the Stars and Stripes Turf

H. (G3).

After failing to hit the board in four starts in 2008, Cloudy's Knight was

rested and transferred to Sheppard. He made his first start for his new

conditioner in the September 19 Kentucky Cup Turf S. (G3), where he closed

smartly to score by 2 1/2 lengths. Cloudy's Knight followed up with an

up-in-time verdict by a head in the October 22 Sycamore S. (G3) at Keeneland.

The grass campaigner then tried synthetic for the first time in the Breeders'

Cup Marathon at Santa Anita. Driving to the lead and staying on strongly down

the center of the track, he was just nipped in a photo by Man of Iron (Giant's

Causeway), who hugged the rail well away from the old warrior. Cloudy's Knight

rebounded next time out with a game victory in the aforementioned Valedictory.

Bred by Jerrold Schwartz, Cloudy's Knight is out of the winning Cloudy Spot

(Solar City), making him a half-brother to the multiple stakes-winning Stormy

Impact (Major Impact). His fourth dam is the influential matron Grass Shack

(Polynesian), whose descendants include Deputy Minister (Vice Regent), a

Canadian Horse of the Year and top stallion, and Charismatic (Summer Squall),

the 1999 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1) winner and Horse of the Year.

Sheppard plans to give Cloudy's Knight a break in advance of his 10-year-old

campaign.

"That will be it for him for a while as we've already decided to skip

Gulfstream," the Hall of Famer said. "You can't dance all the dances, although

he wasn't even blowing when he came back today. We hope to bring him back by the

spring or summer."