BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Trainer Bob Hess Jr. has won more than 1,500 races and has a laundry-list of graded stakes winners. But Hess admits the 6-year-old Florida-bred Roll On Big Joe, entered in Saturday’s $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1), is one of those “at the top of the list.”
Roll On Big Joe, owned by Rancho Temescal, Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, White Fence and Richard Hale Jr., has been one of racing’s most consistent sprinters through the last several years. He arrives at the Breeders’ Cup nearing millionaire status with earnings of $981,475 from 10 wins and eight seconds in 25 starts, winning races at Gulfstream Park, Oaklawn Park, Santa Anita and Churchill Downs.
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint will be his first race since May 30 after a second-place finish to Cornucopia in the Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill. The gelding was coming off a second-place finish to fellow Florida-bred and Breeders’ Cup Sprint-contender Mad House in April in the Count Fleet (G3) at after winning the Listed King Cotton on February 8 and the $150,000 Ring the Bell on December 13 there.
Despite being away for nearly six months, Hess says Roll On Big Joe is in top shape.
“He’s a Ferrari. He’s better than ever,” Hess said. “He’s super fit. In the [Aristides] when he got beaten by Cornucopian, he seemed to come back well. But after we worked him, we found a tiny splint on the right hind, so we backed off. Now he’s ready to go.”
Roll On Big Joe, who Hess has trained throughout his career, was purchased by Rancho Temescal at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale for $90,000 on the advice of consignor Gayle Woods. The late sire Prospective was the winner of the 2012 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Ohio Derby (G3). The dam Nina’s Gift, a daughter of Victory Gallop, won five of 48 starts for breeder Max Ubide and his wife Nina.
Hess described Roll On Big Joe as “immature” as a young horse.
“He’s been super healthy. I think the turn-around for him was when we gelded him,” Hess said.
Since Hess has watched Roll On Big Joe develop his entire career, the gelding has been a special part of the stable.
“The beauty is we’ve had him since he was two, so he’s like family,” he said. “The owners are like family, too. The horse has given us 110 percent, so he’s certainly one at the top of the list.”
Hess has saddled nine runners in the Breeders’ Cup, including Florida-bred Merit Man to a second-place finish in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint (G1).
Roll on Big Joe has drawn post 10 and will be ridden for the tenth consecutive time by Julien Leparoux. They are listed at 30-1 on the morning line.
Roll On Big Joe will face a competitive group including 4-5 morning line favorite and two-time Grade 1 winner Englishman with jockey Jose Ortiz; Churchill Downs Sprint (G1)-winner T O Elvis, who has post 11 and jockey Ryusei Sakai; Forego (G1)-winner Hymn, who has Ricardo Santana Jr. named from post four; and Vanderbilt (G2)-winner Built, who will have Luis Saez in the irons from post seven.
Others entered are Florida-bred Mad House with Paco Lopez in the saddle, Connor Beasley rides Dark Saffron, Liam Smith teams and jockey Manny Franco, Listenupshance will be piloted by Emasael Jaramillo, Oisin Murphy has the call on American Stage, John Velazquez will take the reins on Florida-bred Little Thunder, Tyler Gaffalione will captain Nakatomi and Stradale will have Flavien Prat up.
Return to the October 27 issue of Wire to Wire
