Little Mike all set to defend his title in the Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Little Mike has been setting the Gulfstream Park’s turf course ablaze recently with four wins on the trot and he continued to do so this year as well, but the most important race back in 2011 of his career is back again this year, a race that he won, and
a race that started all the carnage at South Florida.
Dale Romans trained 5-year-old gelding, Little Mike will be out to defend his title in the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park’s turf course, the track that he favours the most on 3 March, 2012, against seven other colts and geldings.
Priscilla Vaccarezza’s gutty 5-year-old gelding downed the last year’s edition by defeating the likes of Society’s Chairman in second and Yankee Fourtune in third, while covering the 1 mile distance in 1 minute and 8.65 seconds.
The Florida bred son of Spanish Steps, out of mare Hay Jude by Wavering Monarch, will be looking to down his sixth win in seven starts over the past 14 months which is an unbelievable achievement for the gelding.
“It’s unbelievable, not only the amount of money he’s made, but the races he won and how he won them. He basically became the most popular horse in Florida,” said breeder Carlo Vaccarezza. “When you see him go to the track and when he comes back to the winner’s
circle, people break into an ovation. It’s a blessing to have a horse like him.”
Excluding the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes, Little Mike won the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park over the same distance of 1 mile on 3 April, 2011, defeating Riviera Cocktail and Asphalt, who finished second and third, respectively.
He topped off the 2011 season with a win in an allowance/optional claimer over a mile again, covering the distance in 1 minute and 34.67 seconds.
Little Mike kicked off his 2012 campaign with a victory over the same venue, when he went for the Sunshine Millions Turf, stretched out over a distance of 1 1/8 miles, but that didn’t faze him as he went on to defeat the lineup in style.
“His will to win…there are very few horses in the industry that have that,” said Vaccarezza. That will to win will be required if he wants to defend his title when he goes out to run in the Canadian Turf Stakes against the likes of Mutual Trust and Doubles
Partner.
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