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Arlington's Million Dollar Man

The Tin Man was all heart in the Arlington Million (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) Ralph and Aury Todd's eight-year-old veteran THE TIN MAN (Affirmed) led every step of the way in Saturday's $1 million Arlington Million (G1), becoming the oldest winner of the 1 1/4-mile prize since two-time Horse of the Year John Henry captured the spoils at the age of nine in 1984. The Tin Man thus continued his remarkable renaissance this year in the hands of horseman Richard Mandella, who has masterfully nursed his charge back to peak form after an injury that had forced him to the sidelines for nearly 15 months. With Victor Espinoza delivering a canny front-running ride, the dark bay gelding went slow early and quickened well late to post a final time of 2:01 1/5 on the firm turf. The Tin Man broke from post 2, avoiding an imbroglio at the start that briefly affected those drawn outside, including Cacique (Ire) (Danehill) and 2-1 favorite English Channel (Smart Strike), who were pushed a bit wider out in a chain reaction. After he smoothly secured an uncontested lead through an opening quarter of :24 3/5, none of his rivals sensed the danger of letting the classy warrior go on with it. The expected pace pressure failed to materialize, even though Cacique had recovered quickly enough to track at a respectful distance in second, with Major Rhythm (Rhythm) and English Channel racing nearly in tandem just behind. From that point forward, The Tin Man led his rivals on a merry waltz through splits of :50 1/5 and 1:15 before delivering the coup de grace in the final half-mile, blitzing home as his chasers struggled to keep up.

"This was the second easiest win I've ever had," Espinoza remarked. "The first was the Kentucky Derby ([G1] in 2002) on War Emblem."

"I couldn't believe they let him do that (get the half in :50)," Mandella marveled. "I had it in my mind that someone will press him a little bit. We could take him back if we had to, but Victor put him in the right place and did the right thing. (The Tin Man's) been around a long time. He's a pretty cool guy. I've been trying to win this race for a long time, and it's nice to finally win it. It was a great show in running and a great feeling of accomplishment to finally (win) one."

"On the first turn, I knew the pace was slow," Espinoza said. "Then, turning for home when no one was coming to me, I knew we were going to win the race."

Cacique ran his heart out one length back in second. After taking a run at the winner as they passed the mile marker in 1:38 3/5, Cacique could not live with The Tin Man in the stretch and had to settle for runner-up honors, but he did well to finish 1 1/4 lengths clear of the rest.

"He broke well and got good position," Edgar Prado said of his ride aboard Cacique. "I was exactly where I wanted to be. When I asked him for more, he gave it to me, but we couldn't catch the winner."

The next four crossed the wire in a heap, with German invader Soldier Hollow (GB) (In the Wings [GB]) snaring third by a head over English Channel, who had a neck to spare over a rallying Cosmonaut (Lemon Drop Kid). Ace (Ire) (Danehill) checked in another neck back in sixth, trailed by Better Talk Now (Talkin Man), Touch of Land (Fr) (Lando [Ger]), Major Rhythm and Phoenix Reach (Ire) (Alhaarth). Go Deputy (Deputy Minister) was scratched, opting to stay at Saratoga on Saturday and win the Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1).

Dispatched as the fourth choice in the wagering at 5-1, The Tin Man paid $13, $6 and $4.60. Cacique returned $5.40 and $3.80 as the nearly 4-1 third choice, ending the $70.60 exacta. The 14-1 Soldier Hollow furnished $6.80 to show, resulting in a $619.20 trifecta. With English Channel in fourth, the 2-10-5-11 superfecta totaled $1,914.80.

With this sixth career stakes success, The Tin Man improved his record to 26-11-5-2 while boosting his bankroll to $2,976,860. Before he was injured in the fall of 2004, he had captured the 2002 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S. (G1), the 2002 American H. (G2) and the 2003 San Luis Obispo H. (G2). After returning to action this winter, the dark bay has compiled a four-for-five mark, garnering the 2006 San Marcos S. (G2) and adding another title in the American Invitational H. (G2) in his prior start. His only reverse this season came at Nad al Sheba, where he was a valiant runner-up to multiple Group 1 hero David Junior (Pleasant Tap) in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-G1).

Bred by his owners in Kentucky, the winner was produced by the Tom Rolfe mare Lizzie Rolfe, who is also the dam of seven-time stakes queen Mama Simba (Mamaison).

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