Gracie Bloodstock Well Represented in Saratoga Grade 1s

Reigning champion male sprinter Book'em Danno is well known for his connection to his home state, becoming the highest-earning New Jersey-bred in history and having just been recently celebrated with Book'em Danno day July 17 at Monmouth Park—winning the Mr. Prospector Stakes in front of the home crowd. However, a quick look at his Equibase page draws attention to another state important to the 5-year-old Bucchero gelding: Virginia. A bright red box to the left of his name signifies his status as Virginia-certified, a distinction he earned spending time on Chris Gracie's farm near Middleburg, Va. A man who's already worn many hats in his Thoroughbred industry career, Gracie played an important role in Book'em Danno's story. Now, the horse is part of what Gracie hopes is a big weekend in his story Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course. The champion Virginia-certified gelding is set for a title defense in the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1) Saturday, and Gracie's work as a bloodstock agent also has him seeking an upset in the Forego with Bring the Smoke and a maiden-breaking score in the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) for Ocelli. A native of Kennett Square, Pa., Gracie got his start with horses as a steeplechase rider when he turned 16. Gracie would ultimately get too tall to continue riding professionally and attended the University of Kentucky, graduating with a degree in business management. His attention then shifted to the bloodstock and breeding side of the game. In 2016, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association began to introduce the Virginia-Certified Residency Program. The program allows for horses bred outside of the state to compete in state-restricted races and for state bonuses, helping to grow the Thoroughbred breeding and racing programs in the state that produced Secretariat. Gracie saw this opening opportunity emerging in Virginia and, about seven years ago, relocated his home from Pennsylvania to Middleburg. "Historically, Virginia has been a really good place for raising horses. There's a lot of good land here and good farms," Gracie said. "When (VTA executive director) Debbie Easter started doing more with the Virginia-certified and Virginia-bred programs, I just saw a little bit of a hole in the market there and relocated. It's worked out well." To become Virginia-certified, The Jockey Club-registered horse must be conceived and foaled outside of Virginia, and maintain residency in Virginia for at least a six-month consecutive period prior to Dec. 31 of their 2-year-old year. Developers of Virginia-certified horses can also earn up to 25% bonus for wins in open races throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Gracie said adding this distinction to a horse is a "no-brainer" and, as buyers have become more educated on the program, can be an extra incentive to buy a Virginia-certified horse at auction. In addition to his runners at Saratoga Saturday, Gracie's Awestrike Racing is co-owner of Fission, a Maryland-bred and Virginia-certified 2-year-old gelding competing at Colonial Downs in the Jamestown Stakes. The son of Great Notion has made his first three starts at Colonial Downs and was able to participate in Virginia-restricted races for maiden purses just shy of $90,000. Through three starts, the $45,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale purchase has made $71,200. "We saw him as a yearling and Virginia-certified him and just knew he'd be a pretty forward horse as a 2-year-old at Colonial this year," Gracie said. "It does make it a little bit easier to target those horses and make a case for them." Book'em Danno's Virginia certification came thanks to Gracie's working relationship with Bright View Farm's Christine Connelly, who was one of his first supporters. Gregory Kilka was part of Ironhorse Racing Stable, who raced Bucchero, and stayed involved as the son of Kantharos went to stud in Florida. Kilka and Connelly partnered and contacted Gracie to look for mares to support Bucchero. He identified the unraced Ghostzapper mare Adorabella at the 2020 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, and they purchased her out of the Sheltowee Sales consignment for $14,000. Three years later, once Book'em Danno was a 2-year-old stakes winner with a bright future, Gracie Bloodstock consigned Adorabella at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale and sold her for $550,000. Book'em Danno was foaled and spent his early months at Connelly's Bright View Farm in New Jersey, but after he was weaned he was sent to Gracie's farm in Virginia to meet the Virginia-certified qualifications. He then was sold off that farm privately to Jay Briscione of Atlantic Six Racing, who has campaigned the gelding through a career that has seen more than $2.2 million in earnings. Looking back on Book'em Danno's time in Virginia, Gracie noted the future champion never stood out, which is what made him stand out. "The biggest thing I could say about him is he was one of those horses you never really noticed, in a good way," Gracie said. "He was never doing anything wrong. He'd come in, eat up, go to sleep, go out. He was never causing a fuss in the barn, you never worried about him outside, you just didn't really notice him. He walked by you in the morning like nothing happened and that was that. I think that's what makes him so special is that attitude and that mind frame that you can't really judge when you're looking at him physically." That unassuming personality would lead Gracie on an "unbelievable" journey, as the gelding has traveled the world and become one of the most recognizable names in racing. Although, Gracie also has a unique perspective in Saturday's Forego since he also has an investment in one of the horses aiming to pull the upset on Book'em Danno. That would be the 4-year-old Preservationist gelding Bring the Smoke, who takes the step up to grade 1 company for the first time for trainer Whit Beckman. Gracie partnered with his friends at Legion Bloodstock to purchase the gelding following his maiden victory at second asking in February at Laurel Park, with Awestrike Racing partnering in ownership with Berry Family Racing, Legion Racing, GLAM Racing, and Clarke Ohrstrom. The purchase was somewhat of a risk because, although visibly impressive when beating three rivals by 18 1/4 lengths, the quality of the field was in question, as was the fact he won over a muddy, sealed track in a race restricted to 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old maidens. The purchase ended up paying off as, in his second start for the new connections, Bring the Smoke brought the smoke to Preakness weekend and won the Maryland Sprint Stakes (G3). "He's rewarded us every time we've run him so far," Gracie said. Gracie oftentimes finds himself working alongside Legion's team of Travis Durr, Kristian Villante, and Kyle Zorn. Gracie and Villante attended the University of Kentucky together and are both originally from the Philadelphia region. "It's pretty easy for us to talk about horses together and work the sales together," Gracie said. "Between the four of us, everybody has something different that they bring to the table. It's easy to make a phone call to your friends and guys you trust to talk about horses, whether it be a horse off the racetrack like 'Smoke' or a yearling we can't make our mind up (about) at the sale." Another horse partnered with Legion is Ocelli, who gives Gracie a third grade 1 runner Saturday in the Travers. Gracie's client Anthony Tate joined the Connect colt's ownership prior to his third career start and has been along for the thrilling journey as the maiden finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Gracie had taken notice of Ocelli when the colt was undergoing his early lessons at Travis Durr Training Center in South Carolina, and has cherished the experience of nearly winning America's biggest race. "It's unbelievable, and to be able to do it with your friends is pretty special," Gracie said. "It's been easy to make these decisions with that horse to run him in these big spots. He's made it really exciting for everybody." That journey could become extra exciting Saturday should Ocelli break his maiden with a Travers win just two races after Book'em Danno and Bring the Smoke compete for their grade 1 in the Forego.