As a two-year-old, Silver Cloud's racing career started slowly and it wasn't until July when he began to show some promise when he finished third in the Kenwood Stakes over five
furlongs at
Washington Park Race Track in
Chicago. In September he ran second in the Maiden Stakes at
Latonia Race Track in
Latonia,
Kentucky. Still at Latonia, in October Silver Cloud finished second in the six
furlong Kimball Stakes then showed he preferred a longer distance when he won the Barrett Stakes over a distance of one mile. In 1886 Silver Cloud won two very important races and ran third in four others including the
Travers Stakes at
Saratoga Race Course. He won the prestigious
American Derby at Washington Park and the
Hindoo Stakes at Latonia, both of which were contested at a mile and a half. ==Untimely death==