Little Mike makes it look easy in Flying Pidgeon

Little Mike now boasts $3,543,012 in earnings from his 29-14-2-1 record,

reflecting eight black-type wins. After capturing the 2011 Ft. Lauderdale,

Canafian Turf and Appleton, the Florida-bred was sidelined by a condylar

fracture, but he recovered from his injury to enjoy an even better 2012. During

that breakout season, Little Mike landed the Florida Sunshine Millions Turf,

Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, Arlington Million and Breeders' Cup Turf.

In early 2013, Little Mike took his game on the road to Dubai, where he was

unplaced in both the Maktoum Challenge Round 3 on Meydan's Tapeta and the Dubai

Duty Free back on turf. Fourth in the United Nations and sixth in his title

defense in the Arlington Million, he regained the winning thread in a

photo-finish decision over Big Blue Kitten in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic

Invitational. He ended the year with a seventh when seeking a repeat in the

Breeders' Cup Turf and his better-than-appears ninth in Hong Kong, beaten a

grand total of four lengths.

Vaccarezza admitted that he had been a little nervous for Saturday's race.

"Yeah, kind of," Vaccarezza said afterward. "This is very special. My kids

are here and my wife, all my friends. I didn't want to look like a fool.

"The field wasn't a tremendous field, but it was a nice little field. If you

run in a race like that, you have to be scared of the nine other horses.

"We're fortunate to be with this horse. He's a very honest horse. I'm glad

that he came back and made a return here in front of the local crowd."

Vaccarezza is planning to aim Little Mike at a few select targets this year.

"He's a horse that you're not going to run 10 times a year," he said. "You

pick out the spot. Maybe this horse will run four or five times a year, but

he'll run for maybe five or six million dollars. Between the Breeders' Cup and

the Arlington Million, and now the Manhattan's a $1 million race and the

Woodford Reserve and another race here and there. It's easy to plan with a horse

like that, when you can give him six to eight weeks between races.

"I'm just a horseman," Vaccarezza added. "I love the sport, I love the

animals, and these are like my kids -- the 26 of them that I have in my barn --

they're like my little kids. (Little Mike) is a very good horse, and I'm glad to

have him."

The homebred is by Spanish Steps (an unraced full brother to Unbridled's

Song) and out of the winning Wavering Monarch mare Hay Jude, who is also

responsible for multiple stakes scorer and Grade 3-placed Little Nick. This is

the family of Brazilian Group 1 hero Gold Pleasure as well as multiple stakes

victor and Grade 3-placed Linear, a four-time track record-setter.

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