Little Mike

Little Mike was a horse with a big heart and full of surprises in 2012. Owned by Priscilla Vaccarezza and bred by her husband, Carlo, Little Mike won three stakes races prior to the Breeders' Cup Turf, including grade 1 scores in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, at 12-1, and the Arlington Million, for trainer Dale Romans. The five-year-old gelding by Spanish Steps had improved every year he's raced, and he was never better against an international field of 11 rivals in the Turf at Santa Anita. Staying close to the pace in the early going under jockey Ramon Dominguez, Little Mike made a quick move to gain the lead near the stretch, and kicked clear to hold off the favored Point of Entry by 1 1/2 lengths for his 12th career victory.