Meadowlands Pace champion Roll With Joe, who was a bit unlucky as a two-year-old, has blossomed into one of the top three-year-olds of 2011
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“I always thought he was a good colt but things didn’t always go his way at two. He failed to make the finals of the Woodrow Wilson and Breeders Crown. But, this year he raced exceptionally well in the North America Cup final [finishing second] and he was great in winning the $1 million Meadowlands Pace final,” said trainer Ed Hart.
Roll With Joe is owned by Joe and JoAnn Thomson of Chesapeake, Maryland; Blue Chip Bloodstock (Mike Kimelman Jr. and Thomas Grossman) of Wallkill, New York; Stephen Demeter of Terrytown, New York; and Not To Worry Stable (Shelia Baird and Scott Kimelman) of New York, New York.
Fresh of a third place finish in his Oliver Wendell Holmes division on August 6 at the Meadowlands, Roll With Joe’s next start will be August 21 in the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine at Harrah’s Chester. After that, he’s scheduled to race in the Cane Pace eliminations at Tioga Downs on September 3.
“Of course, we’re hoping he makes the Cane final on September 10,” said Hart. “Then, God willing, he will be coming to Delaware to race in the Little Brown Jug.”
The 66th Little Brown Jug will be contested Thursday afternoon, September 22 at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair.
Hall of Famer Ron Pierce, who has won four Little Brown Jug trophies, is Roll With Joe’s new driver. Pierce picked up the drive in the Meadowlands Pace final after Brian Sears opted for Feel Like A Fool.
Pierce said Roll With Joe was better than he thought before the race. “He was slick as they come. He really felt super.”
Roll With Joe spends his time between starts at the Kristik Leigh Training Center near Goshen, New York. “That’s where I broke him as a two-year-old. It is a great place and he can relax between races,” said his trainer.
The Winbak Farm bred son of Cams Card Shark has faced most of the big names in the Class of 2011. He defeated Shadyshark Hanover in the Somebeachsomewhere Stake on June 4 at Mohawk. He was then runner-up to Big Bad John in his NA Cup elimination and a tight second to Up The Credit in the NA Cup final. “He raced exceptionally well and was really coming at the end,” said Hart.
Roll With Joe finished fourth in his Meadowlands Pace elimination to Custard The Dragon. In the final on July 23, he defeated Big Jim by a neck in a lifetime best 1:48.2.
Roll With Joe has three wins, two seconds and a third in seven starts this season with career earnings of $1,119,070.
(With files from Little Brown Jug)