Little Mike upsets Breeders' Cup Turf

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ARCADIA, Calif., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Little Mike upset some of the world's top grass horses in Saturday's $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf, holding on late to win by a half length.

Point of Entry, winner of five straight, finished second. St Nicholas Abbey, the Irish-based winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Turf, finished third and Japanese star Trailblazer got home fourth.

French filly Shareta was fanned wide into the stretch run and was never a factor in the 1 1/2-mile race over the Santa Anita turf, which went in 2:22.83.

Little Mike, the Arlington Million winner trained by Kentuckian Dale Romans and ridden by Ramon Dominguez, shot out to the lead along the fence at the top of the stretch. Point of Entry, who had been unbeatable all summer in New York and Kentucky, got room inside to put in a bid, while Joseph O'Brien had St Nicholas Abbey rolling along the outside.

Neither of them could make enough progress in the late going as Little Mike was going confidently for Dominguez.

Little Mike, a 5-year-old Spanish Steps gelding, went to the post Saturday at odds of 17-1 off a dismal showing in his last race, the Grade I Turf Classic Invitational. In that event, he showed nothing, finishing fifth of six as Point of Entry was an easy winner.

Before that, however, Little Mike had won six of eight starts, culminating with the Arlington Million score.