Considered a very great long-distance turf horse, in his fourteen starts on grass Manila never finished worse than second.
Racing at age three, Manila won the important Grade I Turf Classic at Belmont Park, then in the fall won the Breeders' Cup Turf, defeating the Champion filly, Estrapade, Theatrical, and the 1986 European Horse of the Year, Dancing Brave.
[2] For his 1986 performances, Manila was voted the United States' Eclipse Award for Outstanding Male Turf Horse.
[3] In 1987, Manila repeated as the United Nations Handicap winner and defeated Theatrical again to win the Arlington Million.
[4] Injured in the fall, he was retired to stud duty at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky, having been syndicated for US$20 million.