Little Daddy Back Quickly for Vaccarezza

Following Little Daddy’s impressive victory on November 6 at Gulfstream Park West, trainer Carlo Vaccarezza is wasting no time bringing the 3-year-old Scat Daddy colt back to the races.

Vaccarezza plans to make Little Daddy a supplemental entry to Sunday’s $90,000 Kenny Joe, Jr. The six-furlong Kenny Noe comes just 10 days after Little Daddy romped by 8 ¼ lengths in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance, hitting the wire in 1:23.52 under a hand ride from jockey Paco Lopez.

“The biggest reason was he came out of the race just phenomenal,” Vaccarezza said. “The following day when we were walking the shedrow, he was really full of himself and he ate well. We took him out grazing and it was the same thing. We had to take him back in because he was just jumping all over the place.

“I was very pleased the way that Paco Lopez rode him,” he said. “The last quarter of a mile the horse was just galloping. He eased up big time, so actually it was a pretty easy race for him. I don’t think it took much out of him. [Ten] days between races is not the greatest, but it’s not that bad.”

His most recent win snapped a five-race losing streak, all in stakes, for Little Daddy, who won his first two career starts at Gulfstream Park over the winter. Vaccarezza plans to use the Kenny Noe as a prep for the $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on Dec. 27 at Gulfstream.

Vaccarezza, who shares a barn with Allen Jerkens, considered the Kenny Noe after consulting with the Hall of Fame trainer, no stranger to bringing horses back on short rest.

“I asked Allen’s advice and he told me it’s fine, because basically from the time he won to the Mr. Prospector I’d probably have to run him,” Vaccarezza said, “so I might as well just run him now and get it over with. Then, you have the extra six, 6 ½ weeks in case he regresses to prep him for the Mr. Prospector.”

Bred in New York and owned by Vaccarezza’s wife, Priscilla, Little Daddy has three wins, one second and one third with $97,742 in purse earnings from eight career starts.

“I think now we’ve found a niche for him. We realized he’s a sprinter,” Vaccarezza said. “He’s a very honest horse. He always tries hard.”

Source: Gulfstream Park West