Main Sequence is eligible to move forward off a sharp performance (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photo)

In his first start since taking home a pair of Eclipse Awards as champion older male and turf male, the Niarchos Family's homebred Main Sequence (Aldebaran) remained unbeaten in the United States with another unassailable late kick in Saturday's $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The Graham Motion charge engaged turbo gear in the final strides to inflict fresh heartbreak on familiar foe Twilight Eclipse (Purim), and stamped his passport to the March 28 Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1).

The heavy favorite at 3-5, Main Sequence was last seen landing the November 1 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. Regular rider Rajiv Maragh missed that lucrative payday, having suffered a broken arm in a Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) spill. Maragh had managed the gelding's idiosyncrasies in his three prior U.S. starts, guiding him to a hat trick in the United Nations (G1), Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1).

Connections loyally renewed the partnership Saturday, and Maragh responded with a tactical masterstroke. Main Sequence, who used to break slowly, was smartly away here from his rail post. Settling three to four lengths off the slow pace of :26, :50 4/5 and 1:16 on firm turf, the six-year-old gelding saved ground throughout the opening stages. But as the field advanced down the backstretch and prepared for the upcoming final turn, Maragh cleverly took the opportunity to steer him off the fence and into the clear, averting a dreaded pocket scenario.

Main Sequence will provide the United States with a quality contender in the Dubai Sheema Classic (Adam Coglianese Photo)

But his nemesis Main Sequence had yet to play his hand. Suddenly revving up on the outside, he denied Twilight Eclipse again by three-quarters of a length and finished 1 3/8 miles in 2:15.

Twilight Eclipse settled for a minor award behind Main Sequence for the fifth consecutive race. Change of Command checked in a further 1 ¼ lengths back in third, and Money Talker (Silent Name) rounded out the superfecta. Divine Oath (Broken Vow) failed to pick up and reported home fifth of eight.

Main Sequence, who furnished a $3.40 win mutuel, has now bankrolled $3,418,591 from his 19-9-3-3 line. The Kentucky-bred was initially trained in England by David Lanigan. After starting out with a four-race winning spree, culminating in the 2012 Lingfield Derby Trial (Eng-G3) on Polytrack, he did not taste victory for the duration of his British career. Main Sequence was subsequently best of the rest behind Camelot in the Derby (Eng-G1) at Epsom, a hard-luck fourth in the Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1), a close second in the Great Voltigeur (Eng-G2) and fifth in the St Leger (Eng-G1).