Little Mike upsets the field of the Breeders’ Cup Turf against the defending champion and the most favoured entry
Just when the expectations from the most favoured entry, Point Of Entry, and the defending champion, St Nicholas Abbey, were at the peak, out of nearly nowhere, Little Mike made his mighty move and grabbed the $3 million, Grade IT Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on 3rd November. Adding more gloss and glamour to his highly surprising success, the Dale Romans trained toppled the twenty-three-year-old course-record with his smart performance.
Last time when Turbo Compressor and Little Mike raced together, the latter finished third in the Joe Hirsh Turf Classic Invitational. Turbo Compressor soon got to his role of pace setting, but after a mile that he completed in 1:35.28, Ramon Dominguez’s ride started to fall back on the level of stamina.
Just when the field was entering the turn, the jockey shifted Turbo Compressor to the outside, an opening to which Little Mike responded well. The conclusion of the race in 2:22.83 seconds saw Point Of Entry ending an expected second and St Nicholas Abbey reserving the honourable third position.
The Florida bred posted the fourth success of the season, and a third Grade 1 victory. The Priscilla Vaccarezza owned started off the season with a success in Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park over 1 1/8-mile.
Paired up with jockey, J. Bravo, he won the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs over a mile.
Spanish Steps’ five-year-old gelding then won the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Arlington Park over 1 ¼-mile turf.
"Today it's a mile and a half; he's a phenomenal horse," Romans said. "He's an overachiever and he's proven us all wrong. I don't think anybody up here thought he could be more than a miler last year and now we don't know where his limit is."
"When no one believes in Little Mike, he does it," Priscilla Vaccarezza said. "When he's not the favorite and no one thinks he can do the extra distance and when I'm nervous and don't think he has a chance, he wins! Maybe they will give him some respect after that, I don't know. Maybe because his name is Little Mike!"
He has become an expert over mile and more than a mile distances. The connections have not yet made any future plans public, but the gelding has proved that even at this stage he is open for improvement.
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