Man of Iron proves to be just that in Santa Anita Aidan O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh got the perfect start to Breeders' Cup 2009 by winning the opening Marathon at Santa Anita on Friday night with Man of Iron. The three-year-old Giant's Causeway colt just prevailed in a thrilling finish against the nine-year-old Cloudy's Knight. English St Leger hero Mastery took third. Murtagh settled Man Of Iron towards the rear of the field in the early stages, with the more fancied Mastery and Father Time sitting just off the front rank. But Cloudy's Knight swept to the front rounding the top of the home stretch, with Frankie Dettori on Mastery giving chase. But in behind them Murtagh had made stealthy progress on Man Of Iron and they were closing rapidly on the inside. With a furlong to go it looked like the Ballydoyle colt might score cosily but Cloudy's Knight battled on really gamely and only just failed in a desperate finish. Co-owner John Magnier, said: "Johnny called the race correctly. He said he would be taking his time and once he got in there with a chance, Johnny always has a chance." O'Brien and Murtagh were unable to follow up when Lillie Langtry finished well down the field in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, won by Tapitsfly, trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Robby Albarado.
