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Roll On Big O

chris lialios

On the 27th, HMDC color bearer, Roll On Big O, made his seasonal debut in a Accredited Ohio-bred event. He was hoping to shake off his season closing case of seconditis, as he ended 2024 with three consecutive runner-up efforts. This was a very evenly matched field, hard to handicap, as all but one starter was making their 2025 debut. Very little separated them at the betting window, with four starters trading 2-1 with 5-2 odds as they loaded the gate..


Mapleton-bred Roll On Big O broke well from the center of the field and was guided to the inside to save ground and he tracked the leader. Approaching the turn, to avoid being bottled up, jockey David Haldar took him off the rail and he responded quickly and willingly around the turn. With the three leaders abreast in the stretch they took the inside route again. Two of the leaders were backing up and as “Big O’ was going around them, competition ranged up on the outside and he dug in to just miss his accustomed second-place role. It was a visually impressive effort off a layoff nonetheless.

Well. if you have to lose, it might as well be to a teammate. The eventual winner, Flag Raiser, was raised and bred by HMDC partner Steven Chumney of Smokin C LLC. If the name Flag Raiser rings a bell with you, odds are that you are in a nursing home. The real Flag Raiser was one of the best of his generation. From the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Hirsch Jacobs, he was a hickory speedster that compiled a record of 75-21-7-18 for $391,915 – back in the days when that would buy a lot of eggs.

Well. if you have to lose, it might as well be to a teammate. The eventual winner, Flag Raiser, was raised and bred by HMDC partner Steven Chumney of Smokin C LLC. If the name Flag Raiser rings a bell with you, odds are that you are in a nursing home. The real Flag Raiser was one of the best of his generation. From the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Hirsch Jacobs, he was a hickory speedster that compiled a record of 75-21-7-18 for $391,915 – back in the days when that would buy a lot of eggs.


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John Engelhardt
Editor

John is a past president of The Turf Publicists of America, 13-year host of the Winning Ponies podcast and a former executive director of the Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners.

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