Tin Man One In A Million

The Tin Man defied his advancing years to land the Arlington Million in Chicago this evening 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.

'I was happy with him all the way and I will now be looking at the Breeders' Cup Turf with him. I think he can stay the mile and a half.'

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.

'When they quickened I just couldn't keep up. He never lost no ground but they just quickened away from us and kept us at bay.'

Rider Martin Dwyer blamed the ground for the eclipse of the globe-trotting Phoenix Reach, who was having his first run since last year's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

He said: 'He just wouldn't let himself down on this fast ground. He's had a couple of little injuries and he was feeling it. He didn't run his race. He was a bit keen but I got him in but when I asked him for an effort he wouldn't let himself go on this firm ground.'

Balding said: 'Probably nowadays with all these problems he just isn't letting himself down quite that much in this firm ground. It is a bit disappointing.

'He was a little fresh earlier on but Martin said that when he asked him for an effort he was just looking after himself, which he is entitled to do probably.

'It is disappointing and we will have to have a long think about it but obviously the ground will be very important now.'

Jockey Rene Douglas said of Soldier Hollow: 'He is a really lovely horse. He ran a great race. The pace was so slow. I was hoping that one or two horses were going to apply the pressure a little bit earlier but it didn't happen. But I am very happy with this run.'

Touch of Land's trainer Henri-Alex Pantall said: 'He was a bit far away from the pace during the race. They didn't go very fast, I thought they would go faster.

'He had a lot of ground to make up and in a sprint that is not easy. We shall prepare him for the Prix Dollar now if the ground is good.'

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.

Julien Leparoux oozed confidence as he swept down the wide outside from the rear on Patrick Biancone's four-year-old entering the straight, with the result never looking in doubt after he pressed the button.

Film Maker finished well for second, with long-time leader Live Life hanging on for third from Honey Ryder.

A delighted Leparoux said of the winner: 'You have to have patience with this filly.

'It's the only way to ride her. She's like a machine. She proved it today.'

Biancone added: 'Julien is a very cool guy. He waited to the last moment and he won the first Grade One win of his life. I think he'll remember that his whole life.

'Today, we saw a new part of her game, she can go longer than the mile. It was a gamble for us but she had trained really well. We came, we won, and we were the best today.'

Rising Cross, running in the colours of Gary Tanaka made famous by Rakti, was dropping back in trip and Best said: 'We knew it was possibly on the short side for her, but she always tries her best.

'She was taking on the older horses for the first time, which is another thing that made things a little difficult for her.

'But you can never be disappointed with this horse, she has been too good to us to get disappointed.

'They went quick enough early on, but then they steadied it midway through the race, which enabled her to get into the race.

'But when they quickened up again she just didn't have the pace to go with them.

'There is the Prix de l'Opera and the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp, and she is also in the Yorkshire Oaks.

'The Yorkshire Oaks will probably come a bit too quick, but we will see how she comes out of the race.

'She is so tough. She handles everything so well, so you can't be sure with her. She handled the trip over here so easily.

'We'll see how she is when we get back and make a decision then.'

Dwyer added: 'She needs further really. She couldn't cope when they quickened off the final turn. They just took four or five lengths out of her and she stayed on. She just needs further.'

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.

? PA Sport