Racing: The Tin Man defied his advancing years to land the Arlington Million in Chicago last night as Ace and Phoenix Reach both disappointed.
Given a peach of a ride in front by Victor Espinoza, the Richard Mandella-trained eight-year-old readily held Cacique, who had also raced handily in the 10-furlong feature, with German hope Soldier Hollow running a great race in third.
Espinoza was allowed to set a steady early pace and kept enough up his sleeve before kicking for home, with the winner paying a big compliment to Brian Meehan's David Junior, who had him three and half lengths in arrears in Dubai in March.
Mandella said: "It gives you a tingle to win the Arlington Million. Especially with a horse that has had so many problems. To come back to Grade One level is amazing."
Aidan O'Brien's Ace and Andrew Balding's globe-trotting Phoenix Reach were sixth and last respectively.
Garrett Gomez rode Ace in the enforced absence of Kieren Fallon, and he said: "He actually ran a good race. We found ourselves in a good situation for the first eighth of a mile.
"Then they slowed the pace up right in our face. There wasn't much we could do. We were just kind of stuck down the side. And then it turned into a sprint and he is more of a stayer.
Rising Cross and Dwyer finished last of 10 runners in the Beverly D Stakes earlier on the card.
The John Best-trained Vodafone Oaks runner-up briefly showed up in fourth at one stage but never threatened to get in a serious blow at the business end in a race which saw an exceptional performance from Gorella.
Film Maker finished well for second, with long-time leader Live Life hanging
on for third from Honey Ryder.
The final Grade One race on the card, the Secretariat Stakes, went the way of Showing Up, who coasted home from O'Brien's staying-on Ivan Denisovich, with the William Haggas-trained Primary a creditable third.