HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Roll On Big Joe has arguably emerged as the dominant sprinter this meet at Oaklawn Park. As such, the Grade 3, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap would seem to go through him Saturday. “He’s healthy, happy, and ready to run,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. The Count Fleet is a six-furlong race for 4-year-olds and up and is the centerpiece of the local sprint series. The race drew last year’s winner, Booth, as well as $1.9 million earner Tejano Twist. The field of eight also includes Grade 2 winner Mad House, stakes winners Wendelssohn and Tough Catch, overnight stakes winner Dreaminblue, and notable Beyer Speed Figure earner Maximum Bourbon. The Count Fleet continues the Racing Festival of the South, when a number of major stakes are run over the final stretch of an Oaklawn meet that closes May 2. It shares a card with the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap. :: Live racing action at Oaklawn Park! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Roll On Big Joe has won his last three starts in a streak that began with the $269,500 Bet On Sunshine on Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs. From there, the Kentucky-based sprinter invaded Oaklawn and won the $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes on Dec. 13 and the $150,000 King Cotton in his most recent out Feb. 8. Hess said the success at Churchill was one reason the decision was made to target the series at Oaklawn. “He runs well over the main Churchill surface, and I think the Oaklawn surface is similar,” Hess said. “We were looking to keep him in the area and try to pick up some nice wins.” Roll On Big Joe has put up triple-digit Beyers in each of his last three starts, topped by a 103 in the Bet On Sunshine. He was a half-length winner of the King Cotton last out and was flattered when the runner-up, Tejano Twist, came back to win both an allowance and the Grade 3 Whitmore at Oaklawn. The Whitmore was a race Roll On Big Joe’s camp elected to pass after he seemed just a tad quiet in the paddock ahead of the King Cotton. “Going into the last race, we actually had a lot of excuses to run a less-than-perfect race,” Hess said. “We went about two weeks without even going to the track with him with all the snow and all the bad weather in Kentucky, and [we] didn’t really get a work into him or anything. In the paddock, he was a touch quiet that day. He wasn’t his normal Roll On Big Joe self. He was good, but he’s very vivacious and spunky and he was a little quiet that day. I just didn’t think he was at his best, even though he got the money. So, the ownership group is great. They’re really patient and they let Joe get back to 100 percent, and right now, no excuses. He’s perfect and ready to fly.” Roll On Joe has speed and will break from post 5 under regular rider Julien Leparoux. Hess said tactics will be left to Leparoux. “That’s up to the jock,” Hess said. “Their record is pretty darn good as a team. All I’m going to do is give Julien confidence. The horse is ready to run, and I hope the best horse wins, and it could be Roll On Big Joe.” The 6-year-old races for a partnership that includes Rancho Temescal. “We bought him as a baby, and he’s part of the family and we love him,” Hess said. Booth was the dominant sprinter last season at Oaklawn and will be making his second start off the layoff Saturday. He dueled and finished second to Tejano Twist in the allowance March 1. It was his first race since July. “Obviously, we’d love to get him back in the winner’s circle in the Count Fleet,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “It’s his major goal for the spring, and we love how he’s training.” Erik Asmussen, the regular rider of Booth, has the mount from post 3. Jose Ortiz will be aboard Tough Catch, who was the runner-up in the Grade 3 Whitmore. Maximum Bourbon enters off a runner-up finish to Built in a Fair Grounds allowance that went in a blazing 1:07.80 for six furlongs. Maximum Bourbon earned a 103 Beyer, which is the best last-race number in the Count Fleet. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.