History was made as High Chaparral landed his second consecutive victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf when he shared a dead-heat with Johar at Santa Anita yesterday.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained four-year-old, one of three European winners at the meeting, grabbed the lead from Falbrav just strides from the finishing post but was forced to share the spoils with his fast-finishing opponent, who flew late under Alex Solis.
In a race that will be remembered for years to come, punters were left agonising for some 15 minutes until a dead-heat - the first in the 20 years of the Breeders' Cup - was confirmed.
Falbrav, who had taken up the running two furlongs from the finish but faltered close home as his stamina gave way, finished a further head back in third. The trio were well clear of their rivals.
With High Chaparral (11-2) now set to be retired to stud at Coolmore, a dead-heat was a happy result for both parties as it contributed to a four-timer on the day for Johar's trainer, locally-based Richard Mandella.
"I was surprised it took so long to announce the result as I really thought I had won when they passed the post," said High Chaparral's rider Michael Kinane. "We knew it was going to be a hard race today, with some tough opponents.
"But he is a horse who always has something to offer, even if you have to drag it out of him sometimes.
"There's a lot been said about him wanting softer ground but his best performances have been on this kind of ground. It's just that it takes a bit more out of him after the races."
O'Brien paid tribute to his charge. "He's always had a little niggly problem in his left shoulder and that could be the reason why the three times he has been beaten he has been going right-handed," he said.
"We are always delighted to be involved here and obviously we are thrilled that he won. Mick got into a bit of trouble down the back straight and he did well to get the horse out in time.
Also pleased was Falbrav's trainer Luca Cumani, despite the narrow defeat of his brilliant five-year-old.
"He just got tired in the last 50 yards," he said. "It's what we feared all along, but he ran a fantastic race for a horse that doesn't get one and a half miles.
"Darryll (Holland) rode him perfectly and the race went fine. He is a fantastic horse and I am very proud of him."
Islington had broken the British Breeders' Cup jinx in California as she ground out a battling victory in the Filly & Mare Turf under Kieren Fallon. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained challenger (100-30 favourite) sweated up in the sunshine, giving her supporters something to be worried about before the start of the mile-and-a-quarter contest.
But when Islington edged past the O'Brien-trained outsider L'Ancresse with a furlong to run, the winner dug deep to hold the persistent rally of her rival by a neck. Two and a half lengths back in third, O'Brien was also responsible for the third-placed Yesterday, completing a clean sweep of the placings for the raiding party.