By Jim Freer
Thursday, Sept, 10 — Carlo Vaccarezza’s Little Dreams Racing LLC is preparing to send its new crop of 2-year-olds to the races, starting with Little Nick V at Gulfstream Park this Saturday.
Little Nick V is entered in the fifth race, a $60,000 maiden special weight at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
The colt is one of 15 juveniles that Vaccarezza (above photo) Little Dreams’ founder and managing partner, is preparing for planned first starts during the next several months at either Gulfstream or at the Gulfstream Park West meet at Calder.
“They are all ready to run,” Vaccarezza, who trains the Little Dreams horses, said on Wednesday
He was speaking about the newest horses that are owned by Little Dreams’ partnerships that make thoroughbred ownership accessible to the so-called “little guy.”
An investor can buy as little as one percent in a Little Dreams horse. That one percent is $700 for this year’s 2-year-olds. That is based on the average cost of $70,000, over the past 12 months, to buy those horses and prepare them for their first races.
Vaccarezza owns stakes, sometimes majority, in all of Little Dreams’ horses. He does not charge management fees to any of his partners.
He estimates that the cost is about $35,000 annually to have a horse in training. Little Dreams’ costs and any winnings are passed on, i.e. passed through for tax purposes, proportionately to owners.
Offering Roster
With the exception of Little Nick V, shares remain open for all of the 15 projected juvenile starters.
Details about Little Dreams Racing may be found on its website, On the home page, click on Offering Roster for details on horses in which shares are available.
Vaccarezza founded Little Dreams Racing LLC in 2013. John Williams, a long-time friend of Vaccarezza, also is a partner in owning many of the Little Dreams horses.. Dale Romans trained the Little Dreams horses until Vaccarezza obtained a trainer’s license late in 2013.
All Little Dreams horses are part of Vaccarezza’s stable at the Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach. Palm Meadows and Gulfstream are both owned by The Stronach Group.
Vaccarezza purchased this year’s 2-year-olds at sales of yearlings last year and of 2-year-olds this year in Lexington, Ky., Ocala and at the Fasig-Tipton sale at Gulfstream in February. The prices ranged between $20,000 and $100,000.
Two Little Dreams horses purchased in 2013 have won stakes races. They are Little Alexis and Little Michelle.
All of Little Dreams’ horses are named for relatives or friends of Vaccarezza and his wife Priscilla or of Williams..
Little Alexis is named for the Vaccarezzas’ daughter, Little Nick V is named for their son Nick. They owned a now retired horse named Little Nick.
Vaccarezza said he formed Little Dreams for fans who want to get involved in ownership but can’t afford to or don’t want to invest more than several thousand dollars,
Many racing partnerships require higher initial amounts or percentages of ownership than Little Dreams’ partnerships.
“One way Little Dreams is different is that I buy the horses, and then people can come see them at (Palm Meadows) to decide which horse or horses to invest in,” Vaccarezza said. “In other partnerships, you invest money and then they (managers) buy the horses.”
He added: “People like to say ‘I’m an owner of that horse,’ and it doesn’t really matter how big the percentage, You can come out to watch them in the walking ring and be in the picture in the winner’s circle.”
The Horses
Vaccarezza bought the horse he would name Little Nick V for $8,000 at the September 2014 yearling sale at Keeneland in Lexington.
That was among the lowest prices on this year’s Little Dreams roster, and despite some prominent breeding The Florida-bred horse is a son of Colonel John–a son of 2000 and 2001 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow Little Nick V’s maternal grandfather A.P. Indy, won the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The list of Little Dreams horses in which shares are stillavalable includes: Little John W, son of Colonel John the 2008 Santa Anita Derby winner Little Jen W, daughter of 2007 Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy; and Little Gianna, daughter of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.
Vaccarezza’s best known horse is Little Mike, winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf (Grade 1) at Santa Anita Park. That year, Little Mike also won the Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs and the Arlington Million (Grade 1) at Arlington Park. The horse is not part of Little Dreams, and is owned by Priscilla and trained by Carlo.
Little Mike has not raced since May 17, 2014 when he won the Flying Pidgeon Stakes At Gulfstream. He has been in training since last month. But Vaccarezza is uncertain when the horse will race again.
Little Mike was named after the Vaccarezzas’ son Mike. A colt named Little Mike V is one of this season’s Little Dreams; 2-year-olds.
Vaccarezza also is part owner of Frank & Dino’s restaurant Website in Deerfield Beach,
