Vino Rosso (4/1) was the toast of Santa Anita as Todd Pletcher's four-year-old stretched clear in the last half-furlong to win the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Giving jockey Irad Ortiz Jr a big-race double following his success in the Turf on Bricks And Mortar, Vino Rosso stormed past McKinzie in the closing stages.
Joel Rosario took the brave move of sending McKinzie into the lead a long way from home and it looked like it might pay off, but Vino Rosso proved the stronger where it mattered. Higher Power finished third.
There was a desperately sad postscript to America's most prestigious race as Mongolian Groom, who was prominent throughout, suffered a fatal injury in the straight and was euthanized after being taken off the track in a horse ambulance.
A statement from the Breeders' Cup read: "The death of Mongolian Groom is a loss to the entire horse racing community.
"Our equine and human athletes’ safety is the Breeders’ Cup’s top priority. We have worked closely with Santa Anita leading up to the World Championships to promote enhanced equine safety. Santa Anita has implemented numerous industry-leading reforms to enhance the existing health and safety measures with the intent of providing a safe racing environment.
"In addition, Breeders’ Cup always observes the most thorough up-to-date medication practices and restrictions, testing protocols, equine security and surveillance program, veterinary exams, injury management protocols and racing surface testing. These measures are in place to ensure our athletes are racing under the safest and most transparent conditions possible.
"Breeders’ Cup has engaged world-renowned veterinarian, Dr. Larry Bramlage, to conduct an independent evaluation, the results of which will be published when completed. We will continue to keep all stakeholders apprised as information becomes available.
"We are committed to working with our partners in the industry to continue to advance safety reforms, with the well-being of our athletes in mind."
Pletcher - winning the Classic for the first time - said: "It's not very often you come into a race and you feel the horse is doing so well that everything was in place.
"It was one of those times when everything went right. The race unfolded perfectly, just as we thought it would.
"Irad was very confident in the paddock and he did a great job. The horse has put in some perfect works at Belmont, he was crawling out of his skin - we were on pins and needles so well was the horse coming here.
"It's special for us and our organisation. It was one race that was missing. It feels great."
Vino Rosso was last seen being demoted from first place in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, and Pletcher added: "It's a huge win for us. I didn't agree with the disqualification in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
"Today was the strongest performance we have seen this year."
Ortiz was winning his fourth Breeders' Cup race over the two days of the meeting, and said: "We wanted this very much - he's a special horse. He was working so good and now he's much better than last year. He came good at the right time. I'm just so happy."