The Tin Man was retired at the age of 9 due to complications following exploratory surgery on an ankle.
A dark brown gelding, The Tin Man was bred and raced by Ralph and Aury Todd (who live in California's Santa Ynez Valley).
Affirmed's daughter, Flawlessly, twice earned Eclipse Awards as Champion Grass Female and was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
She died in 2000 giving birth to a full sister to The Tin Man called She's a Rich Girl.
Due to an ankle injury suffered in the Hirsch, thereby incurring major soft-tissue damage, The Tin Man was away from the races for fifteen months.
He spent that time at River Edge Farm near Buellton, California, where the Todds board their mares.
With his second win in the September 30, 2006, Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship Stakes, The Tin Man reached $3,126,860 in earnings.
Richard Mandella opted to keep The Tin Man out of the Breeders' Cup Turf in 2006, saying he would start him in the Citation Handicap for the first time.
He won the Grade I Shoemaker Mile, Hollywood's Memorial Day feature, defeating Kip Deville for his fourth straight win.
Sweeping wide from a position just off the pace entering the stretch, The Tin Man rallied and drew clear.
On June 30, The Tin Man finished second in the American Invitational Handicap, losing by a head to the Brazilian colt Out of Control.
Going off as the betting favorite, he took the lead after the last turn, on the softer turf ground, but was overtaken by the Canadian gelding Jambalaya, losing by 3/4 of a length in a time of 2:04:76, paying $3.80 and $2.60, and elevating his career earnings to $3,613,780.
On April 14, 2008, The Tin Man arrived at Martin and Pam Wygod's River Edge Farm near Buellton, California.
"He's had trouble with that knee...it has definitely cramped his lifestyle a little bit, but he gets around fairly well," said Russell Drake, River Edge farm manager.