Book’em Danno. (Chris Rahayel)
By Brian Bohl
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Atlantic Six Racing’s Book’em Danno showed strong closing ability to register a pair of stakes wins as a sophomore and utilized a similar tactic Saturday to notch his first stakes score as a 4-year-old, running down Mullikin in deep stretch with a strong outside move to capture the Grade 3, $400,000 True North for 4-year-olds and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga Race Course.
The Derek Ryan-trained Book’em Danno, who ran a competitive fourth in the tightly contested Grade 1 Churchill Downs in May last out, continued a run of success at the Spa that includes a victory in last year’s Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun.
He earned a victory for the second consecutive Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, with jockey Paco Lopez keeping him off Concrete Glory’s early speed in leading the seven-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 22.21 seconds and the half in 44.72 over the sloppy and sealed main track.
WinStar Farm’s Mullikin, winner of the Grade 1 Forego in his last Saratoga start in August, was urged up by rider Flavien Prat to take command entering the stretch. When straightened for home, Lopez set down Book’em Danno and gave strong right-handed encouragement with plenty of daylight to the outside. The duo linked up in a thrilling final furlong duel, with Book’em Danno pulling ahead near the wire to register the victory by 1 1/4 lengths in recording a 1:14.64 final time.
Mullikin, a multiple graded stakes winner for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, finished 2 3/4- lengths clear of Crazy Mason for runner-up honors. Nutella Fella was a nose better than mutuel favorite Nakatomi, who tossed his head at the start and spotted the field five lengths. Surveillance and Concrete Glory completed the order of finish, while Full Moon Madness scratched.
Book’em Danno won for the eighth time in 14 starts and added to his millionaire status by increasing his career bankroll to $1.36 million. The Bucchero gelding, bred in New Jersey by Gregory J. Kilka and Bright View Farm, returned $6.60 on a $2 win bet.
“He’s had some bad luck in his races where he got beat a head and a neck, but I really wasn’t afraid of anybody today,” Ryan said. “The six [furlongs] is a little short for him; six and a half, seven is his trip. Paco gave him a great ride. He loves to be on the outside. I’ve been preaching that for the last year, and I finally got someone who will do it for me. So, I was very happy. I said, ‘Sit third, but make sure you’re on the outside.’
“He’ll run on anything,” Ryan added. “Good horses, they said they’ll run on a tin roof. He’s just a good horse.”
Book’em Danno earned a career-best 104 Beyer in August at Saratoga last summer via a third-place finish in the seven-furlong Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, defeated 1 1/4 lengths by Domestic Product. On Saturday, Book’em Danno garnered a winner’s circle trip on one of racing’s most prestigious days.
“It was a great, great effort.,” Ryan said. “He [Lopez] rode him perfect, just like I wanted, sit on the outside, sit off the pace, and turning for home go get ‘em. I couldn’t have gotten a better ride, and Paco’s riding like a demon right now. It’s unbelievable, as good as he’s riding. He came up [to Monmouth Park] one Sunday, took the day off and came up and worked [Book’em Danno]. He rode his sister, and he worked him as a 2-year-old but he’s been out of town. He’s been driving me crazy to ride this horse ever since. It’s working out.”
Ryan said he is unsure of the next target yet but was appreciative of what Book’em Danno has done for his career.
“I would be retired and be in Saudi Arabia if it wasn’t for this horse,” Ryan said. “I was ready to take a job out there. But then he came along, and it all worked out.”
Mullikin, one of four Saratoga Grade 1-winning entrants, has finished on the board in seven of his last eight starts, including second in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile presented by TwinSpires at Aqueduct to cap his 4-year-old year one start after running third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November at Del Mar.
“I had a good trip today, just second best,” Prat said.
Crazy Mason, ridden by Manny Franco for trainer Gregory Sacco, again earned black type after winning the Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets last out in April at the Big A.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga Race Course for Closing Day of the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. The 13-race card features a rescheduled pair of Grade 1 turf events in the 5 1/2-furlong $500,000 Jaipur [Race 12] – a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint; and the $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan [Race 13], which has been moved from the Mellon turf to the inner turf course and shortened from 1 3/16-miles to nine furlongs. Also featured are the Grade 3, $175,000 Soaring Softly in Race 7 and the $150,000 Jersey Girl in Race 9. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern. Admission gates will open to the public at 11 a.m.
