Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

cher — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:38:10 GMT

FABULOUS FABULOUS Cloudy's Knight! God bless and keep you!

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

E-man — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:35:12 GMT

Thanks again for the great feedback. I'm following up on the stayers' award by compiling a list of "retrospective" champions. I've made it back in time as far as 1989, so far. Have a look here: <">www.leftcoastracing.com/.../>

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

IF ONLY — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:02:12 GMT

I would like to see less breeding, and less horses running. Only top horsemen like Jonathan Sheppard should be able to run horses. Two year old racing needs to end. Horses aren't full grown until 5. Less speed and the longer races keeps them sounder as well.Cloudy's Knight just didn't see that horse coming, until too late. He's a wonderful horse.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Swapsfan — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:23:39 GMT

Great article and posts! Thanks pNewmarket for the "food for thought." I doubt the Eclipse Awards honchos would consider a "stayer" category, but if there's a way fans can help start one, I'm in. Or maybe a few tracks would consider lengthening some of the older races like the Jockey Club God Cup. BTW I think Swaps still has the world record for 1-5/8 miles. But I can't verify and post simultaneously.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

NYThoroughbred — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:21:17 GMT

Cloudy's Knight defines the term "race horse".

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Tammy — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:44:55 GMT

Glory to the distance warriors!

Oh for more of them, and the races to run them in.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Dawn — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:15:59 GMT

*gawp* Cloudy's Knight must do a lot bench pressing when he's not racing!

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Seomethingroyal — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:25:13 GMT

Jimmy T,

What a treasure you have. I would love to see thoroughbreds racing beyond 1 1/2 races again. I believe it is what they were bred to do, right?

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

LouAnn Cingel — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:55:06 GMT

Cloudy's Knight-such a wonderful horse-he does deserve an award and I hope that eventually horses such as him get an eclipse award of some sort.

Cloudy, you are royalty and I give you a deep bow!

Love & God's Blessings!!

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

CJ — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:04:52 GMT

Can't get enough of stories about Cloudy's Knight! He won a lot of fans all across the country with his dazzling and brave BC Marathon. I love to see him and his connections celebrated as the best our sport can be.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Jimmy T — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:52:28 GMT

After reading your column I dusted off an old winner's circle picture of my Dad's filly "Maidez" winning the 1947 Endurance Handicap at the now shuttered Narragansett Park in R.I. The race was 2.5 miles long. What a thrill it would be to see thoroughbreds racing at these distances again.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

sherpa — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:57:50 GMT

Almost as impressive as Cloudy's wins this fall was the miles he racked up in travel: 9/19 at Kentucky Downs for the KY Cup Turf; 10/22 at Keeneland for the Sycamore; 11/06 Santa Anita for the Marathon; 12/6 at Woodbine for the Valedictory (my favorite!); and 12/26 at Calder for the McKnight. 4 wins, a 2nd by a head-bob nostril - phenomenal!

Personally, I thought CK should've been at least nominated for the Best Older Male Eclipse. Why give 2 awards to 1 horse - a 4yo at that! - when you have a horse as special and deserving (and definitely "Older") as Cloudy to reward? Celebrate the Stayers, Honor the Elders!

[an aside to GunBow...I always love to read your posts and thank you for your very interesting first-person contributions, here and in many other threads. You rock. :-)]

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Somethingroyal — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:19:04 GMT

GunBow,

Wow, you're right! Cloudy's Knight is huge. He's gotta be blessed with a large heart with Somethingroyal in his pedigree.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Somethingroyal — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:10:03 GMT

Thank you for your help and responding Blood-Horse Staff!

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Blood-Horse Staff — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:40:34 GMT

Somethingroyal - here is the recap of the BC Marathon: www.bloodhorse.com/.../man-of-iron-by-a-nose-in-thrilling-marathon

You may also want to look at Cloudy Knight's profile page: www.bloodhorse.com/.../2000

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Sagebrush — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:55:56 GMT

After this year's BC, I have become a fan of the long-distance races and the horses. That is real horse-racing, full of lots of drama and I totally am in awe of the horses which excel.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Somethingroyal — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:23:44 GMT

Unless I'm looking in the wrong section. I can not find a photo or a write up for the BC Marathon. I would like to get an idea how massive Cloudy is. Any suggestions??

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

MRO — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:23:45 GMT

The longer the race, the better. That's why the Belmont is my favorite in the Triple Crown Series & the Endurance is my favorite BC race. I think a new Eclipse category should be considered! Why not one for distance & one for duration?

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

jlp — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:47:31 GMT

It's hard not to root for the "Old Warriors" of the track. They are just as exciting to watch as the current champions. Cloudy's Knight fondly reminds me of the horse, John's Call that raced a few years back. Since our country has few races beyond 1 1/4 mile, it's doubtful that an Eclipse award category would be added to recognize runners who race at longer distances, yet I believe it is time to expand the current lineup so horses like Cloudy's Knight could possibly be recognized. Perhaps a Miscellaneous or Specialized category could be created in recognition of an achievement (horse/human) that does not meet the criteria of the current categories.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

John McEvoy — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:37:36 GMT

Would have loved to have seen Cloudy take on the amazing Yeats.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

OldDog — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:18:02 GMT

Thanks for giving Cloudy's the credit he (and Jonathan Sheppard) deserve! I only learned his story during his 2009 re-emergence on the racing scene. Nothing better than a comeback story, especially with one of us old guys.

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

E-man — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:56:16 GMT

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback!

@pNewmarket: You'll notice that I set 1 1/2 miles as the *minimum* distance for a stayers' race. On my blog I used to call the BC race the "Marathon" (note the quotes!) as the first was only that minimum distance. I stopped using the quotes when it was lengthened.

@SJ Stables: I also wish the award for Cloudy's Knight could be official rather than unofficial. Perhaps someday he'll at least be given a "retrospective" stayers' award. I'm looking forward to CK's races in 2010. Will you try him on dirt this year (eg. the Brooklyn Hcp.)?

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

sherpa — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:04:34 GMT

SJ Stables (Mrs. Schwartz, is that you?), what an honor it is to have your comment!

I've read every article I can find about CK and watched all his races numerous times - he is just amazing! Thank you for having the faith, in both your horse and Mr. Sheppard, to bring him back this year. Rosemary Jr. seems to have a great rapport with him, too, and obviously adores him.

As you can see, Cloudy has quite a fan club around here. Please let us know what he'll be doing this winter at the farm?

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

Rebs Policy — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:32:57 GMT

Suffice it to be simply, "Hear, Hear!"

re: Staying Around - By Erwin Wodarczak

GunBow — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:12:18 GMT

Thank you for shining the light on Cloudy's Knight. I was at Santa Anita for the BC Marathon and it was one of the most enjoyable races I have ever seen. The fact the horses ran 6 furlongs, hit the finish line, and then had to go a full lap around the track made for some confused racegoers(thinking the race over the first time past the line) and some great strategy and drama. With the longer races, things unfold slower, so as a fan you really are aware of what is occurring. Then, to have a finish like the Marathon produced, with the 9 year old Cloudy's Knight battling with a horse(Man of Iron) 6 years his junior all the way to the wire. Bravo to both horses!

By the way, Cloudy's Knight is a massive, massive horse. Although I had seen him run in person once before, when he ran poorly as a longshot in the 2008 Arlington Million, his size took my aback when I saw him in the paddock for the Marathon. Cloudy is not only tall, but he is thick and muscular. He and Quality Road were the only 2 horses over Breeder's Cup weekend who physically were in Zenyatta's league. His size makes Sheppard's training even more remarkable.