Hootenanny pictured on his way to victory at Royal Ascot © Photo Healy Racing
Frankie Dettori struck gold with Hootenanny in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita.
Trained by American Wesley Ward for Coolmore, the Royal Ascot winner was keen in the early stages before being settled in third as stablemate Luck Of The Kitten set the pace up front, chased by Lawn Ranger.
Luck Of The Kitten still had a length and a half advantage turning in, but when Dettori asked the Quality Road colt to cut down the leader his mount, who was trying a mile for the first time, responded in game fashion, sticking his head down right to the line.
Successful in the Windsor Castle at the Royal meeting in June, Hootenanny was running for the first time since finishing runner-up to The Wow Signal in the Prix Morny at Deauville in August.
Dettori, winning the race for the third time, said: "I'd just like to say thank you to Wesley, I know he's watching in Florida - we've done it, pal.
"It's brilliant, a great feeling. The speed was strong, I got him to switch off but he didn't corner very well at all. I lost a couple of lengths round the corners but when I got into the stretch, he flew.
"He lost momentum round the turn, but I made that up in the straight."
Dettori went on: "Wesley had lots of confidence, and my main concern was that he had never run over more than six furlongs. He blew the first turn, but once I got him back on an even keel he was nicely asleep down the back and I knew I had the race at my mercy.
"I was amazed how he switched off so well as the race started to develop."
Enjoying a renaissance this year, Dettori said: "It's the greatest comeback since Frank Sinatra!"
Part-owner Michael Tabor said: "This horse ran a couple of great races in Europe, at Royal Ascot and in the Prix Morny in France, but to be honest I was a bit surprised as I was worried about his prospects of getting a mile.
"Wesley was very bold to take him to Europe, but now we know he stays he can go back and possibly run in the Guineas, although there a host of other races out there for him.
"We fancied War Envoy, but it just wasn't his day."
Kieren Fallon was rueing his luck after finishing fifth on Brian Meehan's Faithful Creek.
He said: "I couldn't get out, and if I had I would have been right on Frankie's tail, but I had to switch three times."
Rider James Doyle said of the Charlie Hills-trained Commemorative, who was seventh: "I was pleased with him, he is a big horse and the track might have been on the tight side for him, but he did run well."
Wet Sail travelled ominously well for rookie trainer Charlie Fellowes before fading to eventually be last.
Fellowes, in his first season with a licence, said: "He has run well, but the tank just ran empty and he didn't stay.
"He was going so well, I was getting quite excited at one point."
