Rancho Temescal LLC, White Fence LLC and Richard Hale Jr.’s multiple graded stakes winner Roll On Big Joe (Prospective – Nina’s Gift, by Victory Gallop) added to his accolades this season when he scored a frontrunning victory in the $150,000 Ring The Bell Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs Dec. 13 at Oaklawn Park, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.
Oaklawn Park. (Coady Media)
Roll On Big Joe was making his first start since a 4 ½-length victory in the six-furlong $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs. Trained by Bob Hess Jr., Roll On Big Joe won the Kelly’s Landing (G3) and Palos Verdes (G3) earlier this year. He was purchased by Rancho Temescal for $90,000 at the 2022 OBS June sale from the Gayle Woods consignment after breezing in :10 flat.
The Oaklawn card on Dec. 14 saw West Point Thoroughbreds’ Counting Stars (Honor A.P.- Paynterbynumbers, by Paynter) pull away through the stretch en route to a four-length victory in the $135,000 Astral Spa Overnight Stakes.
Trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Counting Stars was purchased by her owners at the 2025 OBS April Sale for $150,000 from the Wildheart Thoroughbreds consignment after breezing in :10 flat.
At Gulfstream Park Dec. 13, Steve Landers Racing’s Destino d’Oro (Bolt d’Oro- Heart of Destiny, by Lion Heart) dueled with Grade 1 winner And One More Time through the stretch before edging clear late for a head victory in the $125,000 Tropical Park Oaks.
Trained by Brad Cox, Destino d’Oro earned her fourth win from seven career starts and first victory since her capturing the Aug. 3 Pucker Up (G3) at Ellis Park. She was purchased by her owner for $185,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the consignment of CM Thoroughbreds after breezing in :10 flat.
At Fair Grounds Dec. 13, Rising Inflation (Mitole – Any Given Trace, by Any Given Saturday) proved best, scoring by 6 3/4 lengths in the $125,000 Ladies Turf. Owned by Mark Rose, Slam Dunk Racing and Dennis Bailey, Rising Inflation is trained by Jonathan Wong and earned her third stakes win.
The 4-year-old daughter of Mitole was purchased by Klaravich Stable for $200,000 out of the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the 2023 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 1/5.
In Saudi Arabia in Riyadh Dec. 12, Al Tharb (Beau Liam-Quinta Tata, by Ghostzapper) won the National Guard Ministry Cup (Third Category) over a distance of 1600 meters. Trained by Ahmed Mahmoud, the son of Beau Liam was purchased by KAS Stables at the 2025 OBS March Sale for $180,000 from the consignment of Shooting Star Sales after breezing in :10 flat.