Cloudy's Knight Retired

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.”