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Saturday, September 28, 2013 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) Quotes Dale Romans, winning trainer of Little Mike (No. 7): "This is a big win for this horse and for the barn. We've had kind of a rough year, and this is our first Grade 1 of the year. He's finally rounding back into form. His form hasn't been that bad, if you analyze it. They've gone after him early in his last two races. We needed to change tactics and come from off of [the pace]. Nobody was giving us easy leads like they were last year. He just proved how versatile he is. I knew we needed to try something different to get him back to the level where he was last year. It worked, so I want to thank Mr. [Ken] Ramsey for putting the rabbit [Joes Blazing Aaron] in there and changing things around." Mike Smith, winning jockey aboard Little Mike (No. 7): "I was handicapping the race and after looking at it I told Dale [Romans] that Little Mike's best race, in the Breeders' Cup Turf last year, was when he was off the pace. So I decided I was going to ride this horse the way Ramon [Dominguez] rode him. I can mimic all these jocks; I know how they all hold their hands. Ramon always puts one on the neck and one way out, and he's brilliant at it. So I did it, and he kept running and running and running. It worked! My hat's off to Ramon Dominguez." Chad Brown, trainer of the favored entry of runner-up Big Blue Kitten (No. 2), third-place finisher Real Solution (No. 2b): "I thought both horses ran well. Real Solution had a wide trip, so I have to look how wide he was the whole way; that wasn't ideal. Big Blue Kitten I thought got a good trip on the inside. He was a little further back than I anticipated. [Jockey] Joe [Bravo] said he was a little lethargic early in the race. Turning for home, I thought they both had a great chance to win. Little Mike ran a great race today." Joe Bravo, jockey aboard runner-up Big Blue Kitten (No. 2b): "He's a brave horse." | 
