The Tin Man would not be denied in his 2007 debut (Benoit Photo)

Ralph and Aury Todd's homebred THE TIN MAN (Affirmed) made history when surging to victory in his nine-year-old debut in Monday's $370,200 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile S. (G1), becoming the oldest horse ever to take the prestigious prize. Although the venerable gelding had not raced for eight months, and was tackling a tough field of specialist milers at a distance that's a bit short for him, The Tin Man still overpowered his younger rivals at Hollywood Park. With regular rider Victor Espinoza aboard, the Richard Mandella charge tracked the pace in third on the outside, launched his bid turning for home and asserted his superiority by three-quarters of a length at the wire. The Tin Man reeled off the firm-turf mile in 1:34 1/5  to notch his eighth career stakes tally. Dispatched as the 7-2 second choice, he returned $9, $5.40 and $4.20.

Get Funky (Straight Man), who was forwardly placed throughout, prevailed by a nose in a three-way finish for runner-up honors. The nearly 16-1 shot paid $15.20 and $8.80. The near 13-1 Willow O Wisp (Misnomer) shot straight to the early lead and got away with steady splits of :24, :48 and 1:11 3/5. He kept on gamely for third, giving back $9.20. The $1 exotics were worth $74.80 (exacta), $777.80 (trifecta) and $7,452.60 (6-9-5-4 superfecta) with fourth-placer Becrux (Ity) (Glen Jordan), who made good late progress on the outside at 26-1. Right Special (Brz) (Special Nash [Ire]) checked in fifth, followed by 7-5 favorite Kip Deville (Kipling), who was rank early; Chinese Dragon (Stravinsky); Charmo (Fr) (Charnwood Forest [Ire]); Vega's Lord (Ger) (Lord of Men); and Fast and Furious (Fr) (Singspiel [Ire]).