Plucky speedster Little Mike (Spanish Steps) handled the longest distance of his career with no problem Saturday, controlling the GI Arlington Million pace under Roman Dominguez and holding sway late from fast-closing British invader Afsare (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to post a 1 1/2-length victory and earn an automatic spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Nov. 3. Longshots Rahystrada (Rahy) and Colombian (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) dead-heated for the show. "If anyone asks, we can go a mile and a half," quipped winning owner/breeder Carlo Vaccarezza. "To be honest I was on pins and needles, nobody believed in this horse...This horse ran tremendously. [Trainer] Dale Romans did a fantastic job." 

A 'Little' Lesson in Pace...
   Transferred from Alan Iwinski to Dale Romans last winter, Little Mike capped a four-race win streak in the Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream in January. Fourth in the GIII Canadian Turf S. back in Hallandale in March, the homebred utilized his ample speed to steal the GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard May 5. He settled for third in Betfair Hollywood Park's GI Shoemaker Mile S. June 30, and opened up an early favorite here despite the extra two furlongs of real estate.

ARLINGTON MILLION S.-GI, $1,000,000, APX, 8-18, 3yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 2:02 2/5, gd.
1--LITTLE MIKE, 126, g, 5, by Spanish Steps
        1st Dam: Hay Jude, by Wavering Monarch
        2nd Dam: Double Norm, by Relaunch
        3rd Dam: T. V. Spot, by Explodent
   O-Priscilla Vaccarezza; B-Carlo E Vaccarezza (FL); T-Dale L Romans; J-Ramon A Dominguez; $570,000. Lifetime Record: 19-11-2-1, $1,436,412. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree

2--Afsare (GB), 126, g, 5, Dubawi (Ire)--Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King. O-Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Darley (GB); T-Luca M Cumani; $190,000.
(DH)3--Rahystrada, 126, g, 8, Rahy--Ministrada, by Deputy Minister. O-Robert E Courtney Jr; B-Jaime S Carrion, Trustee (KY); T-Byron G Hughes; $71,250.
(DH)3--Colombian (Ire), 126, c, 4, Azamour (Ire)--Clodora, by Linamix (Fr). (20,000gns wlng '08 TATDEC; €170,000 yrl '09 ARQAUG). O-HRH Princess Haya of Jordan; B-Smythson (IRE); T-John H M Gosden; $71,250.

Margins: 1HF, 1HF, NO. Odds: 3.90, 5.60, 15.70.
Also Ran: Crackerjack King (Ire), Treasure Beach (GB), Wigmore Hall (Ire), Willcox Inn, Boisterous, Cherokee Lord, Vertiformer.
Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.
   Offered no resistance as he set off for the lead, Little Mike cruised along through splits of :25.10, :49.95 and 1:15.03 under a tight hold from expert pilot Ramon Dominguez. He was comfortably clear and moving well turning for home, and had an insurmountable edge inside the final furlong. Afsare ran on well, but he was never getting to the winner. "He was running very comfortable," said Dominguez, who piloted Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) to Million glory in 2009. "Turning for home when I decided to let him run, he started opening up beautifully...He galloped home like a freight train."