Book'em Danno, after True North win, may be heading home for next start
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Book’em Danno, the New Jersey-bred gelding who won Saturday’s Grade 3 True North Stakes at Saratoga for a second consecutive year, may have a homecoming at Monmouth Park for his next start.
Under the conditions of the Mr. Prospector Stakes, a six-furlong race scheduled for July 17, if a multiple Grade 1 winner starts in the race, the purse will be doubled to $200,000. Book’em Danno is owned by Atlantic Six Racing, a group consisting of many partners who live near Monmouth Park, and the day would be dubbed as a celebration of the 2025 champion sprinter.
“We penciled in that race. They’re all local guys,” said trainer Derek Ryan, who added that Dennis Drazin, who heads the management team at Monmouth “has been pretty good to us. If we can accommodate them we will.”
Book’em Danno was shipped back to Monmouth on Sunday, one day after defeating Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Bentornato by three-quarters of a length in the True North. It was Book’em Danno’s fifth win at Saratoga from six starts and his 11th from 18 overall. It was Book’em Danno’s first win of this year after finishing second in the Grade 2 Carter at Aqueduct in April.
Book’em Danno was voted champion sprinter based on his three graded stakes wins at Saratoga last summer - the True North, Alfred G. Vanderbilt and Forego. He skipped the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, a race won by Bentornato, which made for a slight debate for champion sprinter.
“If he beat us, we would have heard [Book’em Danno] shouldn’t have got the Eclipse Award,” Ryan said. “This race sort of put that to bed.”
Ryan said even if Book’em Danno runs in the Mr. Prospector that won’t preclude him from running back in the Grade 1 Forego here on Aug. 29.
Meanwhile, Bentornato will remain in Saratoga as part of a small string of horses trainer Jose D’Angelo will have here this summer. Bentornato will be considered for the Grade 2, $400,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt here on July 25. D’Angelo said the Grade 1, $400,000 Bing Crosby at Del Mar, also at six furlongs, will also be considered. Bentornato won the BC Sprint at Del Mar last year.
If there is another meeting this year between Book’em Danno and Bentornato it likely won’t come until the BC Sprint on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
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