Little Mike Delivers Big Win in Canadian Turf Stakes
On Sunday, betting fans at Gulfstream Park in Florida were eager for the epic featured $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (Gr 3) over 1 mile for 4-year-olds and up, which was dominated from start to finish by gelding Little Mike.
Trained by Dale Romans, Little Mike started the Canadian Turf Stakes from post seven with talented jockey Joe Bravo aboard, who proceeded to coax a superb trip out of the gelding, ensuring he crossed the finish line unhindered.
From the start of the race - which attracted a field of 10 runners - Bravo moved Little Mike straight to the front where he proceeded to set some quick fractions as he went, including 22s for the opening quarter and 45s for the half mile.
Although Twilight Meteor tried to challenge Little Mike just after the half way mark, Bravo asked the gelding for more and he answered with a burst of speed that saw him pull away on the far turn, leaving Twilight Meteor in his wake.
Little Mike covered six furlongs in 1:08 and was 2 1/2 lengths clear in the lead by the midstretch, to the delight of betting fans canny enough to back him. Even a frenzied challenge from race favorite Yankee Fourtune went unanswered.
With the line fast approaching, Society's Chairman came looming up along the rail in the final stages as the only potential threat to Little Mike, but could not do enough to catch the speedy gelding, and had to make do with second place.
Little Mike completed the Canadian Turf Stakes in a time of 1:32 and returned $12.80. Yankee Fourtune followed Society's Chairman home in third place, a disappointment for his connections as this was his first ever loss on turf.
Said a thrilled Romans after the exhilarating race, 'I thought they were going awfully fast early, but the field was bunched, so they were all going pretty fast. Then, when Little Mike opened up at the top of the stretch, I knew he would go on.'
As for future plans for Little Mike, Romans confirmed that Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky may be a destination worth considering. 'There are a lot of good races at a mile, but I think he'll go farther if we ask him,' he said.
