Breeders' Cup Turf winner Little Mike fought off a late charge from Big Blue Kitten along the rail to win the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park. The Hirsch began with a flurry as Joes Blazing Aaron blazed through rapid fractions of 23.92, 47.70 and 1:11.57 over the first half of the mile and a half journey. Little Mike, content to sit off the pace much like he did at the Breeders' Cup last fall, made a strong move to the lead coming off the far turn and then held off all comers through a grueling stretch drive.
The victory for Little Mike reverses a really bad stretch of form that saw him lose four straight races after his Breeders' Cup triumph. He was a non-factor in Dubai for two events and then ran so-so in both the G1-United Nations and the G1-Arlington Million. That poor stretch certainly caused me to doubt the ability of Little Mike to return to his Grade 1 form but with his win in the Hirsch, Little Mike is clearly not done winning big races.
Little Mike is a six-year-old gelding by Spanish Steps out of a Wavering Monarch mare (Hay Jude), trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Mike Smith.
The Joe Hirsch Turf Classic is a "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Below are the payouts for the Hirsch Turf:
| Horse | Win | Place | Show |
| 7-Little Mike | $16.80 | $5.90 | $4.70 |
| 2-Big Blue Kitten | $2.50 | $2.20 | |
| 2b-Real Solution | $2.50 | $2.20 |
| Base | Bet | Combo | Payout | Pays to - |
| $1.00 | Exacta | 7/2 | $23.00 | |
| $1.00 | Trifecta | 7/2/4 | $86.75 | |
| $0.10 | Superfecta | None | $0.00 | |
| $1.00 | Double | 1/7 | $28.25 | |
| $1.00 | Pick 3 | 8/1/7 | $162.75 | 3-of-3 |
Fractions
| Distance | Fractions | Internal |
| 1/4: | 23.92 | 23.92 |
| 1/2: | 47.70 | 23.78 |
| 3/4: | 1:11.57 | 23.87 |
| Mile: | 1:35.70 | 24.13 |
| 1 1/4: | 2:00.33 | 24.63 |
| Finish: | 2:25.00 | 24.67 |