Roll On Big Joe continued his impressive performance with a victory in the six-furlong, $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes for horses aged three and older at Oaklawn on Saturday. Under the guidance of jockey Julian Leparou, Roll On Big Joe ($6.40) finished one and a quarter lengths ahead of the 8-5 favorite Vanishing, while 2023 Ring the Bell winner Tejano Twist came in third, trailing by an additional three and a quarter lengths. He set a new stakes record with a final time of 1:09.54 on the fast track. The Ring the Bell Stakes made its debut in 2022.
After Tejano Twist, the order of finish was Second ID, then Skelly—who was late in the race—followed by Durante and Spunkster. Ghost of Midnight was scratched late. Skelly was aiming to match the record for seven career Oaklawn Stakes wins and extend a streak of 11 consecutive overall spring victories.
This was Roll On Big Joe’s first race since his November 1 win in the six-furlong Bet on Sunshine Stakes at Churchill Downs. In the Ring the Bell, he maintained a slim lead heading into the home stretch, then pulled ahead mid-straight to fend off Grade 2 winner Millionaire Vanishing over 1 1/8 miles. This victory marked the first Oaklawn Stakes win for trainer Bob Hess Jr., who oversees the 5-year-old gray gelding, owned in partnership with Tim Cohen of Rancho Temescal.
Roll On Big Joe’s career stats now stand at 9 wins, 6 seconds, and 1 third from 22 starts, with earnings totaling $751,925. Earlier this year, the four-time stakes winner also took home triumphs in the Grade 3 Kelly’s Landing and Palos Verdes Stakes. He was also entered in the postponed $250,000 Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway Park set for Saturday.
Bred in Florida by Max Uvide, Roll On Big Joe is a son of Victory Gallop’s mare Nina’s Gift. He was bought for $90,000 at the 2022 OBS June 2-Year-Old Horse Training Sale, consigned by Gail Woods.
Saturday’s attendance at Oaklawn was estimated at 19,000, with a total betting handle of $7,288,120.
Winning jockey Julian Leparou shared, “He’s been really sharp all year. He hasn’t had a bad race this year. He was in great shape. I think it was a very simple race. He was sharp, I let him relax, and he finished strong. We learned a few days ago that he’d be running in this race instead of the Holiday Cheer Stakes, which was our original plan, but Bob Hess Jr. changed his mind last week.”
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Fan Take: Roll On Big Joe’s stakes record and consistent winning form underscore his rising star status in the sprint division, making him a thrilling horse to watch for fans of fast-paced racing. His continued success hints at an exciting future for the sport, with fresh talent challenging the established champions and boosting Oaklawn’s prestige in the racing calendar.
