Midday made it a Breeders' Cup glory night for Henry Cecil at Santa Anita by winning the Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Friday.
Tom Queally powered the daughter of Oasis Dream up the inside in the home stretch and the pair went clear to easily hold the late run of Pure Clan.
Last year's winner Forever Together was another fast finisher in third, but neither were ever going to get to the impressive winner - who had been sent off the 15-8 favourite.
Aidan O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh had earlier got the perfect start to the evening by winning the opening Marathon with 13-2 chance Man Of Iron.
The three-year-old Giant's Causeway colt just prevailed in a thrilling finish against the nine-year-old Cloudy's Knight (10-1). St Leger hero Mastery, the 7-4 favourite, took third.
Murtagh settled Man Of Iron towards the rear of the field in the early stages, with the more fancied Mastery and Father Time sitting just off the front rank.
But Cloudy's Knight swept to the front rounding the top of the home stretch, with Frankie Dettori on Mastery giving chase.
But in behind them Murtagh had made stealthy progress on Man Of Iron and they were closing rapidly on the inside.
With a furlong to go it looked like the Ballydoyle colt might score cosily but Cloudy's Knight battled on really gamely and only just failed in a desperate finish.
Trainer John Shirreffs may not have had Zenyatta to go to war with in the Ladies' Classic, but he still took the big prize on day one as 9-1 Life Is Sweet surged to an impressive victory.
The decision was taken earlier this week to run the stable star against the boys in Saturday's Classic, but in Life Is Sweet he had a more than able deputy.
The daughter of Storm Cat was last turning in, but swept down the centre of the track to score easily under Garrett Gomez. Mushka (20-1) took second spot, with Godolphin's Music Note third at 100-30.
John Gosden's Rainbow View was slightly disappointing in fifth while Cocoa Beach, Godolphin's second representative, claimed sixth spot.
O'Brien's Lillie Langtry went off a hot 6-4 favourite for the Juvenile Fillies Turf, but she was well beaten as Tapitsfly took the spoils at 12-1.
The Ballydoyle filly was settled in seventh in the early stages and Murtagh tried to move her into contention down the back stretch.
But as the field reached the top of the stretch it was clear she was struggling badly, and she found nothing in the closing stages to finish out of the places.
Up front meanwhile the grey Tapitsfly was fighting out a great battle with Rose Catherine (10-1), who had cut out the early pace.
Deep inside the final furlong they were still locked in combat, but in the end Robby Alborado's mount just had too much. House Of Grace at 6-1 took third spot.
She Be Wild at 8-1 came with a powerful stretch run down the inside to score in the Juvenile Fillies.
Always A Princess took the field along during the early stages and she was still at the head of affairs two furlongs from home.
But as the 7-2 favourite Blind Luck, who had every chance, failed to quicken inside the closing stages it was Julien Leparoux who brought the Wayne Catalano-trained She Be Wild with a daring run up the inside.
They scored comfortably from Beautician (8-1), who ran well for second while Blind Luck filled third spot.
Leparoux completed a double as 3-1 chance Informed Decision denied Ventura a repeat victory in the Filly & Mare Sprint.
Informed Decision took up the running entering the home stretch with Evens favourite Ventura nearer last than first.
And though the latter finished really well she never really looked like getting to the winner. Free Flying Soul took third at 33-1.