Little Alexis targeting return trip to Breeders' Cup

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Owner and trainer Carlo Vaccarezza said he felt like he got “the monkey off my back” after his Grade 1-placed Little Alexis visited the winner’s circle for the first time in nearly a year when outgaming the favored Best Behavior for a well-deserved neck victory in Saturday’s Barely Even Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

For Little Alexis, who went to the sidelines for an extended period following her ninth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, the Barely Even was her first victory since she captured an overnight stakes here last July 5. Although she had dropped six straight decisions in the interim, the daughter of Mr. Greeley had turned in some big efforts, finishing a late-running third in the Grade 1 Test last summer at Saratoga and a solid fourth behind Untapable seven weeks later in the Grade 1 Cotillion.

“She’s a very talented filly who’s never gotten a good break,” said Vaccarezza. “After the Breeders’ Cup, everything went downhill for her. I’ll be honest, at the top of the lane, I thought she was going to give up, but she just kept digging and digging and digging.”

Vaccarezza said he has nothing definite mapped out for Little Alexis’s next start. His goal is to get her back to the Breeders’ Cup before putting her in the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Little Alexis was scheduled to be sold in that same sale last year but was pulled after coming down with a fever, due to a reaction at the site of an injection the previous day, immediately after the Filly and Mare Sprint.

Little Alexis was not the only game stakes winner here Saturday. Several hours later, My Point Exactly surged late between horses to outfinish Black Martino and pacesetter My Cowboy and capture the King Cugat Handicap for 3-year-olds on turf. The victory was the first this season for My Point Exactly, who was a stakes winner on turf at 2.

“I’m still not certain if he’s better on turf or dirt,” said winning trainer Bill Kaplan. “But he’s got a lot of talent and heart, and when he doesn’t get in trouble, he usually gives a great performance.”

Kaplan said the Grade 3 Kent over the turf at Delaware Park on July 18 could be the next option for My Point Exactly, who was ridden to victory Saturday by Juan Leyva.

Gaffalione feels the heat

Apprentice Tyler Gaffalione gave such an energetic ride aboard Little Alexis to win the Barely Even that he actually had to take off his next two mounts to recuperate after feeling a bit faint and suffering from a mild case of heat exhaustion in the winner’s circle after the race.

Gaffalione returned later in the afternoon to guide longshot My Cowboy to his third-place finish in the King Cugat, and despite serving a brief suspension earlier in the week, he continues to hold a comfortable lead atop the jockey standings with 62 victories entering Wednesday’s card.

◗ There will be a carryover of $280,175 in the Rainbow 6 when racing resumes Wednesday.