Jersey-Bred Book'em Danno Returns to Monmouth a Star

Move over, Bruce Springsteen. New Jersey has a new rock star. And he has four legs! Reigning male sprint champion Book'em Danno returned July 17 to his Monmouth Park roots and he did not disappoint. On a warm afternoon at the Jersey Shore that was proclaimed "Book'em Danno Day" in the Garden State, there was a festive mood at the Oceanport, N.J., oval. Book'em Danno T-shirts were handed out and the crowd inside and outside the paddock to see the richest New Jersey-bred ever rivaled a scene usually reserved for the Haskell Stakes (G1). The scene was also lively after the $221,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes as Atlantic Six Racing's Book'em Danno ($2.20) edged away in the final furlong to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths over Quint's Brew as an overwhelming 1-9 favorite. "It was an exhilarating feeling to win here at our home track," said Jay Briscione, managing partner of the Jersey-bred ownership group. "He put in such a game performance. He runs his race every time. We are so lucky and blessed to have him." Briscione and his partners were joined by about 150 of their "closest" family and friends on the track for a winner's circle picture that needed an extra-wide lens. "All the owners are locals and they got to see him," trainer Derek Ryan said. "It keeps them happy." For the connections, the timing of the Mr. Prospector, which was boosted by an extra $100,000 provided the multiple grade 1 winner ran, worked out better than the July 25 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. As a result, Ryan said the Bucchero gelding will run in the Aug. 29 Forego Stakes (G1) at the Spa as a final prep for the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland. "I didn't want him to have three straight hard races at Saratoga," Ryan said about the 2025 Eclipse Award winner. "The other choice for his next race is at Belmont Park (the Sept. 26 Vosburgh Stakes) and there's a new track there. I know he loves Saratoga, so I would be stupid to try something new." In his first start since winning the June 6 True North Stakes (G3) at the Spa, Book'em Danno broke quickly under Paco Lopez and battled with Quint's Brew for the lead through fractions of :22.42 and :45.25. Turning into the stretch, it was a two-horse race with Book'em Danno taking a half-length lead at the eighth pole and cruising under the wire in 1:09.37. "He broke really sharp. The last two weeks he has been on the muscle. He broke so fast and (Paco) went on with it," Ryan said. Paul Berube, Karen Linnell, and Heather B. Hunter's Quint's Brew, a Mosler gelding trained by Edward Allard, was second by 4 1/4 lengths over Jersey Pride Racing and Boardwalk Racing's Boardwalk Jack, a New Jersey-bred Sea Wizard gelding trained by Eddie Owens Jr. Now 4-for-4 at Monmouth, the 5-year-old son of the Ghostzapper mare Adorabella has won 12 of 19 starts and increased his record earnings for a Jersey-bred to $2,270,425. He was bred by Gregory Kilka and Bright View Farm. Due to the heavy wagering on the favorite, there were $2.10 payoffs and minus pools of $2,620 for win and $2,196 for place.