About one year after securing a grade 1 victory at Saratoga Race Course, Book'em Danno returned to the scene June 7 and used an intrepid stretch run to secure victory in the $400,000 True North Stakes (G3).
Five weeks after just missing in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes (G1), Book'em Danno would not be denied Saturday. With Paco Lopez aboard for the third straight race, the New Jersey-bred son of Bucchero tenaciously chased Mullikin through the stretch, grinding down what started as a 1 1/2-length advantage to take command 70 yards from the wire on his way to a 1 1/4-length score in the sprint for older horses.
The clock also reflected the big effort, as Book'em Danno completed 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.64 on the sloppy (sealed) track, less than a second off of Quality Road 's track record for the distance. He returned $6.60 to win.
"Mullikin was a little bit quicker but when I started asking my horse he kept coming," Lopez said. "I started asking my horse and he responded."
It's the second year in a row that Book'em Danno has secured a graded stakes on Belmont Stakes day. Last year he rallied from nine lengths back to top 3-year-olds in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs.
While Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno secured his second stakes win in three starts at the Spa, trainer Derek Ryan noted that the 4-year-old gelding has delivered top efforts at tracks across the country and the world. He finished second by a nose to the current World's Best Racehorse ratings leader Forever Young in last year's Saudi Derby (G3).
"He'll run anywhere," Ryan said. "This is his (eighth) track in 14 starts. He's just a tremendous racehorse."
The trainer also credited Lopez, after Book'em Danno secured his eighth career win and upped his earnings to $1,360,425.
"He's riding like a demon right now," Ryan said. "This horse couldn't have gotten a better ride. He's unbelievable. It was just what I wanted; sit on the outside, sit off the pace, and turning for home go get them."
Mullikin, who pressed early leader Concrete Glory before taking the lead in the far turn, held second. Crazy Mason rallied from last in the field of seven to finish third.
One start after finishing a close second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1), favored Nakatomi saw his chances largely disappear at the start as he tossed his head and was away last. The slow start followed a long wait in the gate for nearly all the runners as the final horse to load, Nutella Fella, took some time to enter the outside gate.
Bred by Gregory J. Kilka and Bright View Farm, Book'em Danno is the second foal out of the Ghostzapper mare Adorabella, who has boasts a pair of stakes winners from her first two starters as Girl Trouble, by Fast Anna, is a stakes winner at Parx Racing.
Video
