BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Roll On Big Joe won for the fourth time in his last five starts with a three-quarter-length victory in the Grade 3 Kelly’s Landing at Churchill Downs Saturday. Winning at six-and-a-half furlongs against seven other 3-year-olds and older, Roll On Big Joe’s victory in the $220,000 contest was his second triumph in a graded stakes after taking the Grade 3 Palos Verdes at Santa Anita on Feb. 15. 

Jockey Julien Leparoux had Roll On Big Joe off to a fast start from post four to place him just off 9-5 favorite Booth, a winner of four straight including the Grade 3 Whitmore and Grade 3 Count Fleet at Oaklawn and the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico.

Booth skipped away to a length advantage after a :22.33 quarter mile as Roll On Big Joe remained within striking distance on the outside heading into the turn. Roll On Big Joe began pressing Booth with three-eighths of a mile to run and was even with the Steve Asmussen trainee at the top of the stretch. Roll On Big Joe took over approaching the furlong marker and tenaciously held off Durante’s advancement on the rail as Dr. Venkman swung outside to challenge late. Roll On Big Joe never relinquished to win in 1:15.22 on the fast track as Dr. Venkman finished second, a head in front of Durante in third. Booth, Happy is a Choice, Three Technique, Otto the Conqueror and Red Flag completed the order of finish. 

Trained by Robert Hess Jr., Roll On Big Joe paid $11.90 to win.

Roll On Big Joe started the year winning a second level, $80,000 optional claiming going six-and-a-half furlongs at Santa Anita on Jan. 3 before winning the Palos Verdes by four lengths over six furlongs. His only loss this year came in an upper level, $175,000 optional claiming when second to Top Gunner at Keeneland on April 13. He entered Saturday’s contest off a length-and-a-half victory in another upper tier, $175,000 optional claiming going six-and-a-half furlongs at Churchill on May 16.

Roll On Big Joe has now won seven of 18 career starts with six seconds and a third and the $120,280 Kelly’s Landing check increased his career earnings to $494,400 for Tim Cohen’s Rancho Temescal LLC, White Fence LLC and Richard Hale Jr.  Cohen purchased Roll on Big Joe in the name of his Rancho Temescal for $90,000 at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale where he was consigned by Gayle Woods.
(Roll On Big Joe’s Under Tack Video)

He is by Prospective out of Nina’s Gift, by Victory Gallop and was bred in Florida by Max Ubide. Nina’s Gift has five winners from five starters from six foals with Roll On Big Joe her only stakes winner. Second dam Shabanu, by Relaunch, is a half-sister to Shiny Happy, a producer of several Grade 1 winners in Brazil and Argentina.

Roll On Big Joe is the second Florida-bred winner of the Kelly’s Landing, joining 2014 winner Good Lord.

Return to the June 28 issue of Wire to Wire