Book’em Danno Was Once Again a Prophet in His Own Land
- Turf Diario
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
On the day specially organized in his honor, the American champion sprinter responded with another outstanding performance at Monmouth Park, authoritatively defeating Quint's Brew, and will now aim to defend his crown in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga before targeting the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)
OCEANPORT, New Jersey (Special to Turf Diario).- There could not have been a better script for a day designed to honor him. Book'em Danno, New Jersey's three-time Horse of the Year and the reigning United States Champion Sprinter, proved once again why he is the ultimate local idol by capturing Friday's Mr. Prospector Stakes (L) with absolute authority, serving as the centerpiece of "Book'em Danno Day" at Monmouth Park.
In front of a packed crowd that filled the grandstand to see him in action, the Derek Ryan trainee responded with another high-flying performance. Guided once again by Paco López, the son of Bucchero closely stalked the brisk pace set by Quint's Brew (Mosler), assumed control before turning for home, and when his rival attempted to mount a challenge, turned away the threat with his trademark competitive spirit to draw clear in the final strides, crossing the wire 1 1/4 lengths on top. He stopped the clock in 1m9s37/100 for the 1200 meters, while Boardwalk Jack (Sea Wizard) completed the trifecta well beaten in third.
"I always let Paco make the decisions. I never tell him how to ride him," Ryan commented. "Over the past two weeks, he had been exceptionally sharp, really strong, and he broke incredibly fast. It's amazing that practically everything has gone according to plan over these last two years."
López also highlighted the champion's maturity. "I knew Quint's Brew was a serious rival and that he was going to press us," he explained. "But my horse broke very well, he was comfortable, and there was no need to rush him. He is a better horse today than he was last year. He is more mature, physically stronger, and running with immense confidence. Before, he often had to come from off the pace; now he almost always breaks on top, and that changes everything."
Ryan never doubted the outcome once Book'em Danno took command: "When he gets to the front, he is very difficult to pass," he stated. "He is a natural fighter, extremely competitive. Horses like him only come around every once in a while."
The victory held special significance not only because it capped a day organized in his honor, but also because it allowed all the local owners from the Atlantic Six Racing Partnership to enjoy another exhibition by their star.
The next target will demand much more. Ryan confirmed that the immediate plan is to return to Saratoga to defend his crown in the Forego Stakes (G1) on August 29, before aiming to crown his season in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).
"We hope to have one more race before the Breeders' Cup. He loves Saratoga and he loves the distance. There's no point in changing something that is working so well," the trainer explained.
With this latest success, Book'em Danno preserved his perfect four-for-four record at Monmouth Park, where he had previously broken his maiden and captured the Smoke Glacken (Two Punch) and Jersey Shore (Lord Avie) stakes. The Mr. Prospector also marked the tenth stakes victory of his career—five of them graded—and pushed his earnings past the $2.25 million mark, reconfirming his status as one of the premier sprinters in North America.
Comments