LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Both Colonel Liam and Domestic Spending ran too well to lose Saturday at Churchill Downs in the Old Forester Turf Classic – and neither did. On the photo-finish camera not even a millionth of an inch could separate the top two home in the Grade 1, $1 million Turf Classic, a classic renewal of this Derby Day standard that ended in a tie.  Colonel Liam got first run, Domestic Spending nearly got the last laugh, wedging through a tight spot between Cross Border and Digital Age at the furlong grounds and launching himself toward the wire. Domestic Spending lunged, Colonel Liam drove his head across the line. A tie goes to the runner; both these steeds were really running. “I’ll take it,” said Chad Brown, Domestic Spending’s trainer. “I thought I got a bad bob, and that’s why I say I’ll take it. [Domestic Spending] looked like he was ahead before and after the wire.” The horses circled for more than five minutes as the placing judges examined the results. Todd Pletcher, staring at the big screen in the infield, looked satisfied enough when the finish order flashed.  “It’s a hell of a lot better than second, I know that,” Pletcher said.  :: Join DRF Bets and get ready to watch and wager on the Preakness with a $250 first deposit bonus  Smooth Like Strait wasn’t part of the dead heat but held stoutly for third, beaten only a neck, after taking no heat racing on the lead. Smooth Like Strait went his opening quarter in 24.40 seconds and a half in an easy 49.17 over a grass course listed as firm but likely on the good side of that designation. “It was probably a little softer than he liked it,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He ran really well.” A neck separated the next four home, with Count Again closing up the inside to get fourth, followed in rapid succession by Digital Age, who won the 2020 renewal of this race last September; late-running Ivar, making his first start since the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Mile; and Cross Border, who raced closest to the leader during the early and middle stages. Masteroffoxhounds, who was eighth, and last place Ride a Comet were well beaten. Off six furlongs in 1:12.83 and one mile in 1:36.22, the two winners stopped the timer in 1:47.99 for the 1 1/8 miles. A Beyer Speed Figure of 100 was awarded. Colonel Liam got exactly the trip it looked like he would, settling into third, racing on the rail behind Smooth Like Strait and inside Cross Border, but the winner of the Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream and the Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds this year tossed his head a bit coming through the homestretch the first time. He rated for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. but might not have been ideally settled. “He kicked on pretty well the last part,” Pletcher said. “He was going along pretty good, bottled up.” Ortiz said his horse didn’t pull too hard nor did he struggle with the ground, and if both those are true, Domestic Spending appeared to be the superior horse on the day. Caught a little wide on the first turn, Domestic Spending and Flavien Prat settled behind horses two paths from the rail, racing in eighth down the backstretch. Past the three-furlong pole midway around the far turn, Ortiz and Colonel Liam just waiting for a gap to come off the fence, Prat could have tipped outside Digital Age but elected to follow horses into the stretch. “I wish I could have made a move earlier,” Prat said, “but you don’t want to go around horses, so I had to take my time and save a bit of ground.” :: Get Daily Racing Form past performances, featuring exclusive Beyer Speed Figures - the gold standard in horse racing  It got tight in midstretch, but Domestic Spending let Prat guide him through tight quarters. He switched leads coming off Colonel Liam’s heels for his final bid outside the two leaders, flying to the wire. The verdict reached, two winner’s circle ceremonies about to commence, Brown called to Ortiz sitting astride Colonel Liam. “Tough choice, Irad, tough choice! I know you said they’re close.” Ortiz, a main cog in the Brown machine, had ridden Domestic Spending his last four races of 2020, the final one a victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. He’d been aboard Colonel Liam his last three, including in the Grade 1 Pegasus, and stuck with the horse who had the recent form.  “I was fortunate to get Flavien,” Brown said. “You can see why it was such a tough choice for Irad.” Colonel Liam paid $2.80 to win, Domestic Spending $5.20. Both horses are 4-year-old and under the race’s allowance conditions carried 124 pounds, four more than their rivals. Colonel Liam, by Liam’s Map out of Amazement, by Bernardini, campaigns for Robert and Lawana Low. Purchased in 2019 at a 2-year-old auction for $1.2 million, Colonel Liam was bred in Kentucky by the Phillips Racing Partnership.  Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables owns Domestic Spending, ironically named since he was purchased in England, where he was bred, as a yearling. Domestic Spending, bred by Rabbah Bloodstock Limited, is by Kingman out of Urban Castle, by Street Cry.  After calling out to Ortiz, Brown turned to Klarman, saying, “One more jump.” The two winners could meet again on Belmont Stakes Day in the Grade 1 Manhattan, a race over 1 1/4 miles, a distance Brown said he’d have been loath to consider during Domestic Spending’s 2020 season. Domestic Spending would get an extra furlong there, but Colonel Liam’s strong galloping style could play well going a longer trip over the expansive Belmont oval. A rematch would be fascinating since there was nothing between the two Saturday.