At age four, Droll Role developed into one of the top older horses in North America, winning on both dirt and turf. He ran third in the 1972 Man o' War Stakes, second in the Manhattan Handicap, and second to Quack in world-record time in the mile and a quarter Hollywood Gold Cup. Among his wins, Droll Role captured the Tidal Handicap in course-record time, the Grey Lag Handicap, and the Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap, the Massachusetts Handicap. He also defeated Hall of Fame filly Belle Geste in the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack, which earned him an invitation to compete in the prestigious Washington, D.C. International Stakes at Laurel Park Racecourse. In that race, Droll Role earned the most important win of his career, defeating Riva Ridge plus some of the best runners from Europe, including that year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, San San.
