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Hart On His Cup-Bound 'Joe'

Horsepeople and punters alike are well aware that best laid plans tend to immediately go out the window during a horse race. The unexpected nature of racing is multiplied when the continent's top horses are gunning for a $1.5 million purse. If the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes proved anything, it is that Roll With Joe has the versatility to adapt against North America's best.

After having left from the rail with pilot Randy Waples in the Somebeachsomewhere's third division, Roll With Joe showed he could roll with the punches. After having fired off the wings somewhat, Waples tucked the Cams Card Shark colt into third. The duo then grabbed the lead before the opening half-mile via a first-over brush. Waples and the bay then yielded for a two-hole ride into the stretch. When it was time to get down and dirty and get that money, Roll With Joe dug in against the favoured Betterthancheddar and got up for a three quarters of one-length victory in a life's best 1:49.3.

"I had confidence with him heading into the Somebeachsomewhere," trainer Ed Hart told Trot Insider. "He's the type of horse that will just go what he has to."

Somebeachsomewhere Stakes (Div. 3) - Roll With Joe - 1:49.3

Although the $100,000 yearling purchase put together a respectable 2-2-1 record from nine starts at two, Hart told Trot Insider that 2010 ended up being a bad-luck year for the colt, even though he triumphed in a division of the Champlain Stakes, banked $157,740 and took a mark of 1:53.1.

"He had a little bad luck last year," Hart said. "He had Big Jim on the outside of him in the Metro Pace and he was a little sick in his Breeders Crown elim later in the year. He ended up missing the (Breeders Crown) final, so after that we just decided on shutting him down for the year.

"The only disappointing part of last year was the Woodrow Wilson. He had a bye into the final, but he was going so well that we decided to race him (in the elimination). He was hitting the bike that race and we ended up missing the final."

After time off over the winter, Roll With Joe trained back down this year with a better campaign on his mind. The colt was assessed at odds of 48-1 in Trot Magazine's 2011 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book and began his three-year-old campaign with a tri of qualifying efforts at the Meadowlands Racetrack. "He qualified well," Hart said. "I had an idea of where I wanted him to go in those races, but I ultimately left it up to Brian and he did a great job with him."

Hart said that the Meadowlands' Jersey Classic had been circled on Roll With Joe's dance card, but a barn incident put a slight dent in those best laid plans. "He's been pretty good and sound. He's the type of horse that takes care of himself, except maybe one day in April," said Hart.

"He was feeling really good about himself one morning in the barn and he took a kick at me. He had to get some stitches and that threw his schedule off a little bit. I could've still tried to get him ready for the Jersey Classic, but I didn't want to rush him."

The decision seems to have paid off in spades, as Roll With Joe now looks to be amongst the leaders gunning for the $1.5 Pepsi NA Cup. Eliminations for the Cup will take place Saturday, June 11 and the rich final will go postward at Mohawk Racetrack June 18.

"He came out of it (the Somebeachsomewhere) well --- very good," Hart told Trot Insider. "He's currently at Mohawk with my second trainer in Bob Young's barn."