My Little Rosy sends Handsome Mike past $500,000

My Little Rosy is a perfect example of the old adage, “if you don’t succeed at first, try, try, again.”

The daughter of Handsome Mike broke her maiden as a 3-year-old at Tampa Bay Downs in January of 2019 and paid $84.40. She hadn’t won again until yesterday at Evangeline Downs, but not for the lack of trying. The 5-year-old mare scored in a runaway under Wallynette Rodriguez and raised her record to 2-1-4-6 in 24 starts.

My Litle Rosy raced just six times in 2020, finishing fourth in the first three and third in the last three. She was then laid up for nearly nine months until returning at Louisiana Downs and adding another fourth to her ledger. Yesterday, the mare bred by Ponder Hill made her second start of 2021 and was sent off as the 4/5 favorite in the race at 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf. She sat second early, went after the pace-setter after a half, then blew by and won by nearly six lengths.

My Little Rosy became Handsome Mike’s 17th winner this year, and the winner’s check of $8,400 raised his progeny earnings to $508,086. He’s currently the 9th-leading active stallion on Florida’s sire list for 2021.